The darkness within
by Barbayat
Summary: Dealing with Anthony's death was hard for Dylan, accepting he came back even harder, but the hardest thing (for both of them) was finding to each other ... focuses on their emotions, but includes also a new case
1. Facing reality

A/N: Updated version, with less mistakes and a few sentences and words changed, nothing major thou. 01-08-04  
  
The darkness within  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the movies: Charlie's Angels and Charlie's Angels: Full throttle. I wrote it just for fun. (The unrated-version is different - it does not match with this story)  
  
Chapter 1: Facing reality  
  
Dylan felt relieved and happy, everything had turned out right. Well not everything, but she tried not to think about that. It was party time. Seamus was gone, Madison beaten and the case solved. She should be happy and she was at first. Seated next to Max in the first row of the lower balcony, she waited for the movie to begin.  
  
The red headed angel had no real interest in Maximum Extreme 2, but it would be fun to watch Jason - or more likely his stuntmen - do all the things they did on their regular cases. 'At least they are happy and Jason does not mind being crashed into the pavement once in a while', she thought watching the couple. Alex and Jason were still standing and the action star smiled towards the incoming guests with his perfect, white teeth holding Alex around her waist.  
  
Natalie was leaning onto Pete, the pain from her wound was still bothering her, but she hid it as good as she could. Luckily the two lovebirds had a two-seater - or more likely each other. Only Max kept Dylan from feeling alone. The young boy was asking many questions about Jason, the movie and their job. Then his questions included the HALO case. "I bet she looked really stupid, when she saw the empty roof", Max said. He knew the basics from Bosley and know he was curious how it actually worked out.   
  
"Yeah, she did", Dylan told him. "Everything would have gone smoothly - hadn't the O'Gradys showed up…" The last word came out easily, but then she stopped.   
  
"But you got them - you got your …", Max pressed her on. He probably had not inquired, had he known how Dylan would re-act. Her suddenly pale face made him look at her with great concern. The redheaded angel remembered what she had tried to forget. She felt the shock as Seamus appeared out of the sudden on the roof, starting to shoot. His men swarming the place. Seamus almost tossing her of the roof.  
  
How the silent assassin had saved her. She remembered lying there on the barbed wire feeling the heat of the light bulbs, then Seamus releasing her only to go over seconds later. How the Thin Man had pulled her back. Holding her firmly. At first she had not known what to think, she looked at his face bearing that wild aggressive look. Which softened as he realised that she was not fighting and instead holding on to him.  
  
Dylan was not able to think how it all came to happen, what she was feeling for what reasons, but she remembered that wild, passionate kiss and his scream - she never would be able to forget that.   
  
"Excuse me" she said loud enough for Jason and Alex to hear, then Dylan jumped on to the railings. The other guests looked at her shocked, but before they were able to say something she was out and went down the stairs. Hopefully the others thought that she was just heading to the restrooms. She did not want to spoil the party for her team.  
  
Dylan reached the foyer. Outside was still the mass that had not been lucky enough to get tickets. Yet their were so happy. All she was able to do was feeling miserable. It seemed so natural to dress up and attend the premier, celebrate their victory, but now Dylan was truly ashamed of herself. If not for the thin man - or Anthony, as the nuns had named him - she would had been dead. He saved her, all she was doing was losing herself in this wonderful moment.  
  
Dylan felt she should have seen Seamus. She blamed herself for being so careless. Most of all she blamed herself for not going into that alley - not paying a single thought to him after beating Madison. 'It is no use - he is dead, you don't help anyone by reproaching yourself', she thought. 'Go back there and smile for your friends. You can cry later.'   
  
She seldom felt the need for tears and it confused her even more. What really had happened on that roof? 'Get a grip on yourself, girl.' The thin man was an assassin, he tried to kill them more than once, he had witnessed Knox attempt to kill her. She could not probably been attracted to him. It did not work that way. First they seemed perfect, then she slept with them and then they turned out to be killers!  
  
She was nervously making fists as she heard a voice calling her name. "Miss Sanders?" Dylan turned and saw the detective that already had questioned them after the Emmers incident at the Coal Bowl. "Detective Thompson?" she barely remembered his name. Definitely not her type, and not only because of the ring on his finger. The policeman reminded her of Chad. If she had to hear the word Starfish one more time, the angel might do something very impolite to the person saying it.  
  
"It's Detective Thompsen" he replied smiling. "You and your friends helped out the FBI again, but there are some questions concerning several dead bodies, that had been dropped of a roof. We know that you had an agreement to take care of that Miss Lee, but we still need your statements and help identifying the bodies."  
  
Dylan nodded: "I understand, but would you mind if my colleagues come in tomorrow?"  
  
"Of course", he said slightly surprised, realising that the woman wanted to go with him right now. Thompsen did not know what to say. He was prepared to ask the three detectives, after the premiere, thus getting a chance to actually attend it. He sighed silently and hoped that he would get his hands on an autograph of Jason Gibbons, who was involved with one of Charles Townsend's private investigators or angels as the secretive millionaire used to called them.  
  
Detective Thompsen never had talked to him, but he knew that Townsend had good connections in the government, money like sand on the beach and the habit to remain a voice. So probably he should be glad that he found one of the angels willing to help him out so fast. They went out to the back to avoid the crowd outside and the detective lead her to this car. He soon realised that the young woman was quite upset by something.   
  
"Care to tell me what happened on that roof?" he asked hoping that she would not insist on a lawyer, but he had never heard that Charlie's Angels had the need for one.  
  
Dylan sighed, she did not want to tell this over and over again so she told Thompsen, that she would like to wait for the official statement. After a moment of silence she suddenly realised that she had to inform Alex and Natalie she was going. Pulling out her cellular, she explained that to the detective and started to write an SMS to her friends. Nat, Alex - I met Det. Thompson, I agreed to help him identifying the bodies that fell off the roof. Enjoy the movie, D  
  
The movie was most likely past the opening sequence as they reached the hospital. The detective lead her down to the morgue. On the way Dylan froze as she saw Seamus cousin Troy walking past them. He was but a bit smaller than Seamus, but had a lot more weight on his chest. Unfortunately most of it not fat. His light green eyes had a vicious glare, but he said nothing. Dylan turned her head and observed, but he vanished upstairs. Thompsen felt her unease. "Don't worry there are too many cops and FBI agent around, he won't dare to harm you."  
  
The angel nodded: "Let me guess - he just identified Seamus O'Grady."  
  
"No, he - donated blood for him", the detective said slowly and Dylan stared at him, before she yelled furious: "You mean that bastard survived the fall?!?" Dylan felt loosing her ground, that could not be!  
  
Thompsen looked worried at Dylan, he had heard rumours that Seamus O'Grady was after her. He had expected that she was afraid of the Irish, but the girl radiated a loathing that made Thompsen wonder what was really the story behind those rumours. "I'm afraid so", he said meaning it that way. Too often the police-man had seen the mischief men like the Irish mobster had caused. "He is in bad shape, they are operating him right now … the lucky bastard fell on one of the other bodies, impaling himself, but a nearby patrol found him and rescued him before that letter crashed on top of him."  
  
Dylan needed to breathe, she heaved violently still feeling the floor turning around her. Only Thompsen's strong arms supporting her shoulders prevented her from falling as she fainted. It was only for a few seconds, but the angel could not bear the thought that her personal demon was still alive. Even injured he was a thread having thugs carrying out his hideous revenge plots. The detective helped her on one of the visitor-chairs and went to get some water for her.   
  
"Maybe we should do this tomorrow" Thompsen kindly suggested handing her the small beaker. "I'll drive you home."   
  
"No" Dylan replied firmly. She would not be weak again, not because of Seamus. She was strong and there was no need to be so overwhelmed. "I identify the bodies!" Part of her wanted to ask whether there was another survivor, but she knew that it was not possible. The blade had gone right through the heart. She had know that this was the Thin Man's end the very moment. She remembered her horror, how mortified her "No" had sounded and the satisfaction in O'Grady's face.  
  
He knew he had hurt her and Dylan was surprised how much it had hurt. Had anyone told her after the Knox case that she would one day be crying because the Creepy Thin Man was dead, she would have laughed about it. Thinking about that she wondered how he had survived the missile. Wondered whether Vivian also made it. Strange the police report had mentioned to bodies being ripped apart by the explosion.  
  
Dylan stood up to underline that she was sincere about going through with this. Thompsen was concerned, but led her on. The morgue was cool and all the tables had a body bag on them. 'Were all those victims from the roof?' she thought. Alex had mentioned that she sent one of the thugs flying, but so many? The redheaded angel curled some of her hair than stopping herself.   
  
Detective Thompsen went to the fifth table from here and told her that actually all the Irish had been identified and only the man Seamus had been dropped on remained a mystery. She felt a painful nausea in her stomach as she approached the table. The coroner stepped towards them and opened the zipper revealing the Thin Mans now even paler face. She saw that the back of his head was covered with blood, probably cracked open as he hit the street.  
  
Too shocked to cry as the last silly peace of hope was swept away right before her eyes she nodded and the coroner closed the bag.   
  
"Did you know him?" the detective asked with soft voice.  
  
"He saved my life, Seamus was … about to throw me over, but he stopped him." She felt so sad, also being an assassin, that had tried to kill them, aiding Knox as he was after Charlie, he did not deserved this. He had saved Max and he saved her. Thompsen wondered, but he remained silent. As he suddenly recalled something. He asked for the report and read the line that listed the items found with the body. 'A strain of red hair' he read suddenly suspecting a deeper involvement.   
  
That brought the detective back: "We found no papers with him. What can you tell us about him? Do you know who stabbed and throw him over?" The angel looked at him, dealing with the fact that the man who had kissed her with more passion than any men before lay dead and shattered before her.  
  
"Seamus - he took .. he stabbed him and then he fell over…", she covered her eyes.   
  
"You should know he was most certainly dead before he hit the ground", a soft male voice said. It belonged to a Dr. L. Richardson - according to his name tag. If that was an attempt to comfort her, it did not work at all.   
  
"Can we go outside?", Dylan asked with her voice fading. Thompsen agreed and she told him everything about the Thin Man except his involvement in the Knox Case and Emmer's death. She saw no need to do so, now that he was dead. It was luck that they only reported after a case was closed. A simple precaution to stop the police from interfering with their work.  
  
"Dylan?"  
  
The angel looked up to discover Alex walking down the corridor looking for her. As she saw Dylan, she ran towards her, hugging her friend tightly. "What are you doing here all alone?", she wanted to know.   
  
"I'm sorry, I did not wanted to spoil the premiere, you should have stayed", she explained to the Asian angel.  
  
"Nonsense," Alex declared. "The premiere is nothing, if you needed to do this, we would have come along!"  
  
"Is Nat here, too? The O'Gradys are all over the place!" Dylan was halfway up to go and search for the third angel as Alex stopped her. "No, she is still in the first row, in Pete's arms and probably dreaming about dancing!"  
  
Dylan took her seat again. That was relieving. She managed her first shy smile picturing Nat asleep right next to the star of this evening, but she had been injured worst of all and lost a lot of blood. She deserved a break. "So what happened here?", Alex asked again.  
  
"I identified him!" she said with her dried out voice, causing Thompsen to leave earshot and get another glass of water for the girl.  
  
Alex was not nearly as moved by the death of their old adversary, but he had saved her life, too. She had seen him with Dylan heard her friend scream in agony as she watched him falling over the rapier stuck in his heart. "You should have taken me with you", then she said. "Strange, he tried to kill us and now he saved us." Then she paused as Thompsen came back.   
  
Dylan thanked him for the water and introduced them.  
  
"Yes, I have talked to Miss Munday earlier this night", he gave her a nod.  
  
"Well, Detective, I drive my friend home, we come by tomorrow, I assume that it can wait until then", Alex decided. "After all they are all dead."  
  
"No", Dylan interrupted and looked at Alex. "Seamus is alive! They are operating him right now!"  
  
"Oh boy!", Alex was definitely very unhappy. "Well I guess I stay with you then, for this night. I'd take you to my place, but Jason is probably still mad at me."  
  
That was news. Jason mad at Alex, after all that had happened. "What did you did you do?"  
  
"I could not stop laughing, the movie was so ridiculous - you should have seen the stunts. Even for 'Matrix' they would have been exaggerated. So I went outside and got your message. Alex gave Dylan at least a little comfort.   
  
"Ok ladies, I see you then tomorrow." Thompsen said his goodbyes and returned to the morgue. What a night not one autograph and he needed three, two for his children and one for his wife. Maybe tomorrow he could ask Miss Munday.  
  
Alex lead, her arm still around Dylan's waste, the way to her car. Then she drove home to Dylan's small apartment. "Wow, untidier than the last time I was here", she told her friend.   
  
"So what?", the red headed angel asked.  
  
"I was just astonished, I did not thought it to be possible."  
  
Dylan rolled her eyes. At least Seamus had not been able to harm them. She would have gone crazy if anything had happened to her friends. The angels were like soul-sisters, connected in a way none of them could explain with words. It was there and it did not require an explanation. They were a team, they were Charlie's Angels. Only together they had been able to defeat Madison. 


	2. Dealing with loss

Chapter 2  
  
Dylan was glad that Alex had stayed overnight. Normally it drove her crazy to have her fellow angel in her apartment. She always started to clean Dylan's apartment discovering lots of her lend cloth. That wasn't the reason, it was the fact that the redhead felt uncomfortable being so untidy. But Nat and Alex never came when she had actually cleaned the kitchen up and vacuumed the floor.  
  
Hell she was not that often at home anyway. The agency was her home. But the last night had been rough and Dylan had fallen asleep while Alex battled with the dish stacks in the kitchen.   
  
The sun was already up, but it was the phone that woke her up. As she reached over she saw that Alex was sitting on the edge of her bed. Already perfectly dressed in a satin pair of black trousers and a short top in white that had a mouse in front. Dylan was amazed. She had not seen that one in years and the trousers, well they were anyway lend from Alex.  
  
Dylan picked up the phone. "Saunders."  
  
She hated to talk before she had eaten something, she hated to do anything before breakfast. "Oh morning sleeping duty", Nat's voice came over the phone. Dylan heard how happy and contend her friend was. It was not that she was not happy for her, but today it left her with a feeling of sadness. 'Will I ever be in an actual relationship that deserves the name', she sighed. 'No probably not.'  
  
"Nat, sorry for abandoning you", she began, but was interrupted by her friend. "Nonsense, I barely noticed, I only awoke as they all started clapping as Jason's Alter ego took on Salazar. Only Jason was not very happy."  
  
"Yeah Alex went after me", Dylan explained hoping that Jason's ego was not hurt so bad as to damage their relationship.   
  
Alex smiled as did Natalie. "She told me, we talked last night", her voice became suddenly much more sincere. "I know what happened, I wish I could have been there for you. One more thing, don't worry about Seamus. He won't be able to harm you or us."  
  
"Believe me, Nat. He can, he find a way to set someone on you, Pete or even your puppy."  
  
Alex came over and said loud enough for Nat to hear: "We talked about this, but think of it, he waited all those years to take his revenge in person, he needs to see you suffering. Now he is at best in intensive care and then back into prison! I doubt he'll be bothering you again."  
  
"Yes, he'll wait for his next chance and this time he won't get it" Nat assured her also.  
  
"I guess that might be the case, I just wished he just had died. He does not deserve to live. All he ever did with his life was hurting others." Dylan dared not remember her past as Helen. Seamus had been different then. No, that was not true. He just had hidden his true self. Or had she just been to blind to see it. It had been so flattering as he appeared almost every day in front of her school.  
  
Everyone had warned her about him, but she never listened. Not to the women at her orphanage, not to her teachers and not to her own common sense. No she had encouraged him until she felt ready to let him drive her home. He never even pressed her to sleep with him, the smart bastard made her believe that she wanted it. Well, she had. 'No, no, don't think about that.'  
  
"What did you said?" she asked Natalie realising that she had not listened to her friend. "Oh, I wanted to know, whether I should be taking my car picking the two of you up or if you want me to meet you at the police station."  
  
"Picking up sounds good, I have time to eat and dress myself", Dylan told her and looked at Alex who nodded. "See you then!"   
  
"Bye", Dylan said hearing the line being disconnected.  
  
Alex had a strange smile on her face. "You know, you should stop wearing make-up while you sleep. It's bad for your skin."  
  
"Oh no", the redhead rushed to the bath room. Boy she looked awful. Dried out eyes, smeared eye-shadow and lipstick and her skin slightly reddened. She started to remove it as the Asian angel offered to cook a little something for breakfast. Dylan tried to smile and convince her friend that she was so in the mood for a visit to McDonalds for breakfast. Too late she realised that breakfast was already over, but Alex finally accepted that Dylan had thought of French fries the whole time. Anything but Alex's meals. Cooking was not one of her many gifts.  
  
The hungry angel finished just in time to select a simple pair of jeans and black shirt with lots of little yellow glass-stones on the front. She did not felt like wearing something dazzling and it seemed neither did Alex. Or Nat, who had equally ordinary cloth on her. They did not waste much time and took of toward the next McDrive. It was so good to have Natalie with her, she was a spring of good mood. She talked about the highlights from the premiere (as far as she remembered) and of course the puppy Pete presented her that night.  
  
"Guys", Dylan suddenly said and the happy talk in the front of the car stopped. "I think the police have no clue about the Thin Man. I'd thought that we could leave it that way - at least concerning our last case."  
  
"Why not, the nuns probably be happier without knowing", Natalie agreed.  
  
"The nuns?" Dylan rubbed left temple. "I guess we should tell them, at least they'll see to that he is properly buried."  
  
"We could pay them a visit after we had our talk with Thompsen", Alex suggested.   
  
They found a spot to park the car on the opposite street. The detective had already been expecting them. He looked quite happy this morning. "Good day, ladies!" he said cheerfully.  
  
"Good day", all three of them replied. Looking at each other smiling. "You seem very happy today."  
  
"Oh I am", Thompsen said. "I have a very elegant sword, used to kill two men and only Seamus O'Gready fingerprints on it. With your statements he'll be locked away for good. If that even becomes necessary."  
  
"What do you mean?", Dylan asked, wondering why the Thin Man had not left any fingerprints on his weapon. That was strange. She knew that he had not worn any gloves. The other angels looked equally amazed, but said nothing.  
  
"Well, it appears that he has fallen into a coma and it is very uncertain whether he'll ever open his eyes again."  
  
Not as good as dead, but Dylan figured this had to do. One by one the gave their statement. Alex kept also silent about the Thin Man's part in the killing of the other Irish thug. Thompsen was pleased with their statements and two hours later they left.   
  
"I can't believe it", Natalie said looking at her windshield. "A ticket."  
  
"I thought you love tickets", mocked Alex.   
  
They laughed, but Dylan could not stop thinking about the scene on the roof. Her friends probably sensed that she needed time to reflect and continued to talk about everything, but their boyfriends. It would not have mattered. Dylan was soon to busy sorting out all that conflicting feelings in her mind.   
  
Why was she so awfully down when she thought about the Thin Man's death. She wished she had known more about him, but if the police had not records on him, or had they? He had no fingerprints. Anyway, Dylan doubted that the police was able to catch him. So of course there were no prints in the first place. Hopefully they do not figure out that the blade was actually his. It fit his style. Had he used it kill Corwin, would they find a match?  
  
She needed to remember that, the Thin Man had murdered Corwin. Also being a repulsive business man with too much power, it was still murder. What was so different about this murder from the one Seamus had committed in front of her eyes? After all she had send Seamus to prison for the same crime and now she had asked her friends to cover up the Thin Man's action.   
  
That drove her crazy, she knew what he had done, she knew about him and yet she stood there enjoying that kiss. Feeling her heart ache knowing that she will never been able to kiss him again or yet discover what was really behind it.  
  
"What shall we tell the mother superior? I mean about us? Or shall we disguise?" Natalie addressed Dylan as they came closer to the orphanage.   
  
"No, no more lies", she replied. "We tell her who we are and what was going on, but …"  
  
"…we leave out the part were he killed Emmers and O'Gready's thug", Alex added.   
  
They parked the car behind the one that had belonged to Madison's gorgeous assassin and asked to see the mother superior. Nat added that it was about Anthony and a few minutes later they were gathered in her office. They were recognised immediately, but the mother superior gave them the chance to explain everything and naturally the nun was shocked. No doubt she had cared very much about Anthony. Little teardrops appeared in her eyes, but she was able to suppress them.  
  
She said a prayer for him and yet Dylan felt a bit better knowing that someone else cared about the Thin Man. She had the feeling he had been very lonely. He was not the type to make friends easily nor to take friendship lightly. The angel could not help, but had to compare his relation ship to the mother superior with the one she had with Charlie. He was the closest thing to a parent she had, the only father she ever knew. The older nun was certainly like mother to him.   
  
And probably the only woman he had taken more hair strains from. The mother superior, promised them to take care of the funeral and all the formalities. They left all a bit uneasy. It had occurred to all of them that their favourite assassin had a different side to him, but that someone could care so deeply for him was a surprise. Dylan sighed, at least she can grieve without second thoughts. To her the Thin Man had been an angel - one with a strange habit, but still an angel.  
  
The redheaded angel knew to much and it did not seem to fit at all. She thought about the precision he had shown killing Emmers. He seemed to be distant and controlled, almost cold and then - those screams. Like he was leaving out all the emotions he had stored. Not her idea of a happy life. Dylan had never been good at hiding what she felt. Sometimes she wished she could have. Like back then when Knox mocked and taunted her. She had been hurt, she felt betrayed and it shined right through her.   
  
The way back was marked by an awful silence, even Natalie kept to her own thoughts. She headed to the agency where Dylan's car was parked. Nat dropped her friends of and headed home, back to her happy life. They waved her goodbye and Alex said: "Well, how do you feel?"  
  
"I don't know, it's strange, especially talking again to her", Dylan said as she walked over to her car.  
  
Alex agreed with her on that. She could hardly believe that they had talked about the same person, but she had kept silent. "I hope she never finds out, how he came to earn all those donations he made to the orphanage."  
  
"Yes, without a doubt, she would not like that", she replied.  
  
"You don't seem to like it either", the Asian angel told her. Alex was more concerned for Dylan than she showed. Not because of Seamus, he was way out of the game. It was the fact that Dylan was so deeply affected by the Thin Man's death. Alex did not understand it. Yes, he saved her lives, it was regrettable that he died, but after all he was an assassin. This time on their side, but it Alex doubted that it would have remained that way.  
  
"Not really, it's so strange", Dylan said as she opened the door to her car. "First we only knew him as the bad guy, and than we found out that there is much more behind him."  
  
"Like two sides of the same medallion", Alex added understanding what Dylan meant.   
  
"Yes", Dylan agreed, but her thoughts went to that medallion she had taken from him at the coal bowl. "Alex, just a second."  
  
The other watched surprised as her fellow angel, excused herself and went back into the agency.  
  
The redheaded angel entered the evidence room, were they kept all the items from their cases, which weren't handed over to the police. Quickly she found what she was looking for. The tiny trinket lay in her hand and Dylan felt for some strange reason better holding it. She decided to keep it. Something to remember. Not that she would be able to forget what happened.  
  
"Ho, Dylan", Bosley said surprised as he saw her coming from the evidence room.  
  
"Hi, Bosley", Dylan said hiding the medallion in her fist. "How was the movie?"  
  
"The movie was alright, but where the hell did ya go?", he asked and she could tell he was worried about her.  
  
"I meet the detective on my way back from the restrooms, I decided to help him out", she lied hoping that it would end the conversation. "I already had enough action that evening", she added.   
  
It worked, he was still too new, to question her statement. She did not felt good avoiding him like that, but in case he realised that she was worried and confused about the Thin Man, he probably tried to help her. Dylan already knew his brother's advice on the matter. This was not a question of repetitions, this was serious and much more confusing. She still needed to sort things out all by herself, before she could afford to think over any advice at all.  
  
She said goodbye before he was asking what she had been looking for and rushed then out of the front door. The car was waiting there for her with Alex behind the wheel. "Forget something?" she asked Dylan as she climbed in the co-drivers seat. "Yes, I did", she said and put the medallion into her purse as Alex was paying attention to the traffic. Luckily she did not ask what Dylan had forgotten.   
  
Alex felt that she was not the right person to help Dylan. Maybe she was too cool, too logical. Nonetheless the offered Dylan to call her at anytime, in case she wanted to talk. Of course that was always the case, but sometimes it was good to remind a friend of it. Alex left waving and disappeared around the next corner.. 


	3. Saying goodbye

Chapter 3  
  
Dylan watched her fried taking her own car and heading home. She entered her apartment, which looked much cleaner now, especially the kitchen. She sat down at the table, some dish was left there, Alex probably had not know where Dylan used to keep them. It was not important now.  
  
The angel took out the medallion and looked at it. The chain was broken, naturally it was. She had torn it from his neck, as he had torn out her hair in the same moment. She scratched her head, were her hair was missing. The Thin Man had saved Max that day. They would have come too late to rescue him. Emmer's death only meant, that they could not asked him, who had ordered him to kill Max. Well, they all had been shocked at first, but the re-appearance of the Thin Man had left a greater impression with the angels.  
  
Especially his sudden intrusion on the roof fight. Dylan remembered how Alex had told the Thompsen about meeting him. He must have stabbed that guy. Alex had left that fact out, but it made sense. O'Grady took his rapier from him after he had rushed to her rescue. She liked remembering the way he kissed her. For that moment everything seemed to be perfect. Once again Seamus destroyed it.   
  
Like he had when her name had been Helen. She had been so happy and content. Dylan remembered her shock as Seamus pulled out his gun shooting the man who was talking to him and all right in front of her eyes. They had broken rules before, but just tiny rules, she never had imagined him to be a cold blooded killer. As walked back to the car and told her he would kill her, if she dared to tell anyone, she realised that she did not knew this man. The man she had loved never had existed. That had hurt.  
  
Dylan suddenly knew why she had testified against him. It was not so much about killing the drug-dealer, for that had been what the man was - a rival who dared to invade O'Grady territory. It was about destroying her dreams, playing her for a fool and threatening her. She was not sure what he had seen in her, but was sure that he had only used her. He had frightened her, but he also made her even angrier with his death threat.  
  
Somehow she had managed to wind up with the strangest guys, but she had never been that madly in love with any of them. Either they became weirder and weirder till it was unbearable or they turned out to ruthless killers. That certainly prevented her from crying about them for one second. Well, she had fancied Emmers, but that was it, nothing more. He had been cute and she enjoyed Alex and Nat teasing her about it.  
  
How did the Thin Man fit in there? She knew he was an assassin. Even protecting someone this was obvious, he did not waste time. He killed his enemies with deadly elegance. Why made it her so sad, that she would never found out, what might have happened if the Thin Man had not died. Or what he was trying to tell her. She had felt so honoured and excited about him trying to speak to hear. She was sure, what happened between them really meant something to him. "Damm you, Seamus", she suddenly yelled grabbing a plate from the table. It smashed against the wall and broke into numerous pieces.  
  
Dylan learned that it was easier to deal with betrayal, no matter how bad it had been, then to cope with losing something she had just held long enough to wonder what it might have been. She had no appetite and went into her living room that was also her bed room. She turned on to the TV, she did want to think about what happened. She was concentrating real hard on a cartoon for quite some time. Until the phone rang and for a moment she considered pulling the cable, but then she picked up.  
  
"Dylan?" It was Max. "I just wanted to call and tell you that I'm sorry, if anything I said upset you. Bosley told me that you seemed a bit off balance and…"  
  
"No, no, Max, no need to feel guilty. You couldn't have known. It was just too fresh, I could not party and think about what happened."  
  
"The man that saved me … he is really dead, isn't he?" the boy said with a sad tone. "I'd sure had liked to thank him."  
  
For some reason it felt good talking to Max and she went on telling him precisely, what had happened and what they had done today. Max was a good listener and it helped talking to him. She almost forget that he was just a teen. He could have hugged him as he ranted on about Seamus survival. "Compared to this case the movie was almost boring" he said finally after she had ended her explanation.   
  
"Tell me about it" she asked him and Max began a long summary of the movie. Almost as long as the movie itself. Dylan was sure she had not missed anything at all. Nevertheless she enjoyed listening to Max who described with growing excitement the events in the movie. Yet alone being so close to its star. Finally his new mother ushered him away from the phone and told him to go to bed.  
  
Dylan hung up and looked at her clock. It was about ten and she began to feel her empty stomach aching. So she called for a pizza and unplugged the phone. In case something important was going, Bosley or the angels could reach her always over her cellular. An hour later she was asleep - the pizza at the edge of her bed, only half eaten, the TV still running and again dressed and with her make-up on her face.  
  
The next day she had no obligations. After she had taken a bath and dressed herself, Dylan made herself a few toasts. Later she went to a jeweller in the city and had the chain of the Thin Man's medallion fixed. She put it around her neck and tug it under her shirt. She did not wanted anyone to see her wearing it, but she had to.   
  
Uncertain how to spend the day she decided to stroll down the street and occupy herself with window shopping. Except that she had no real interest and barely realised that she passed a shoe-shop, a second-hand-boutique and an ice-café, before her cell rang. 'Yes, something happened!' she fetched it from her pocket and said: "Yep?"  
  
"Dylan, I really could use a sparing partner, do you mind coming over to the agency?" Alex sounded really upset - angry. "Ok, I'll be there in a few minutes."  
  
It was not nearly as good as a new assignment, but she was glad for the diversion. She wondered why her friend was so outraged. Alex tried to hide it, but even if she had not made the comment about the sparing fight, her friend would have noticed. She hurried to her car, jumped in and a few minutes later, she parked at the agency.  
  
Alex waited for her in the hall. By her appearance Dylan could tell that she was up to fencing. After she was properly dressed, she dared to ask what had happened. Alex flinched her teeth and started an attack. Dylan defended and re-attacked, while the angry angel told what had upset her. "It's Jason!" she cursed. "That fool!" She launched a heavy attack and nearly hit the mask off Dylan. But the sad angel had still her reflexes and started to enjoy the exercise by fighting back, dodging and landing hits of her own.  
  
"What did he do?", she asked.  
  
"He made my father believe we are call-girls!" Alex shouted almost loosing balance as she told her friend.  
  
Dylan laughed: "No really?" Then she laughed louder. The Asian angel suddenly landed a hit right over her heart. Beep!   
  
"Don't you set it straight right away?" Dylan asked confused.   
  
"Couldn't! He had a call and flew home yesterday and I can't reach him!" Alex answered accompanied by a new attack.  
  
"So what did you told Jason?" the redhead hoped that she had not done anything harsh. Alex was not easy to upset, but when it happened she was good at getting it back at them. She barely avoided an other hit that would have been number five. Instead she scored her third one.  
  
"I did not say that much, but I shattered his precious couch table", the black haired woman, jumped forward and now it was on Dylan to land a remarkable hit. "With your forehead?"  
  
"No, not with my head, my fist, but he did not looked to happy, I told him to leave my house and never come back." She withdrew and made a more disciplined attack. Dylan was warming up, she successfully defended herself and replied: "Ouch ,that is not good."  
  
After dozens of hits on each side, Alex's aggression was gone and she decided, that she believed to be able to face Jason again. "Sorry for calling you out of the blue", she told Dylan under the shower. "No problem, I needed it, too", replied she shampooing her hair in the cabin next to Alex. In fact she felt better. The frustration of the last day had finally lessened and the endorphins from the exercise had helped her a great deal. "We should have done this yesterday."  
  
"Oh, I don't know", Alex replied, "Yesterday I could hardly move without feeling any pain." She looked down at her legs and the cuts on them.   
  
"Me, too, but actually that didn't bother me, I still feel my left shoulder from the impact into the underground station."  
  
Later - wearing a new set of cloth - they took a look at the office, but Bosley was not here. Probably enjoying cake and candies at home. Alex went then to call her father and Dylan went to her car. She replaced the medallion before she started the engine. Of course she had to take it off, or Alex would have seen it. She was not sure whether her friend would have understand this. She was not up to any discussion about the issue - at least at the moment.  
  
The next morning she became utterly depressed before she even had entered the bath room. A letter with a black line across it lay on her floor. She knew what it was before she picked it up. It was an invitation to the Thin Man's funeral. She looked at the date: "Tomorrow", she sighed. Maybe she could go on with her life after that, she had no choice.  
  
They all had been invited. Alex, Natalie Dylan, Bosley and Max. Alright an invitation for Charlie had also been send to the agency, the mother superior had of course no idea, what a private person Charles Townsend was. It was a warm day, a soft wind rattled through the leaves and the sky was blue. A soft and light tone that reminded Dylan of the Thin Mans eyes.  
  
They wore black and still felt displaced between the nuns and the other orphans in their school uniforms. Silently they stood around the grave, with the closed oak coffin placed above his final resting place. After the mother had assured Dylan that it was best left closed, she had not asked further. She remembered Thompsen telling her that he was hit by the falling letter. Something she definitely need not to know.  
  
The priest that conducted the ceremony started to thank the mother superior for her support and told everyone that she had helped him to find the right words. He need not said that, it was obvious that the words came from someone that had loved him. Dylan never gave much to words, she had learned how sweet and yet false they could be, but those spoken by the priest had a comforting effect.  
  
The priest talked about how he came to orphanage, how he vanished one day only to return giving his support to those who had taken care of him. Phrases from the bible were mixed in between and each of them meant something. They knew that their decision not to reveal his other life to the nuns had been the right one.  
  
Max looked worried at the red-haired Angel that was unlike him quite fond of her new name. After the priest was finished they remained a moment in silence. Then a few workers began to pull away the bars and to lower the coffin into the dark grave. As they were finished the mother superior stepped to the foot end. She had picked up a handful of earth from a stone bowl near the grave. She stood a moment before it, then she dropped the earth and went on. Each nun repeated the action, either remaining there a moment silently or saying a short prayer.  
  
Finally it was Max and Bosleys turn. Max went up and dropping his handful he silently thanked him for saving him. Then Bosley followed and said loud: "Thanks for saving the angels." Which caused the mother superior to look quite strange. Then only the girls remained. None of them liked the idea of throwing earth on the coffin. Not only because Dylan hated it. The earth hitting the coffin made really an awful sound. The redheaded angel felt very unsettled by the noise.  
  
She sighed wit relief as she saw Natalie paying her last respects holding a beautiful red-orange tulip in her hand. It was from her and Pete's garden. She threw it on his grave instead. She forgave him his attack on her and thanked him for saving her friends. Natalie could not bring herself to be angry with someone who died for one of her friends.  
  
Then it was Alex turn, she had one of her orchids from her collections between her fingers. She also thanked him for saving Dylan and helping her. Then she dropped the magnificent flower into the grave. She was so calm and sincere, while Dylan felt unease and tension. She was the last one to pay her respects and she did not felt good with all the eyes upon her. Slowly she stepped closer. Funerals were so final, it was as worse as identifying him in the morgue.   
  
She nervously turned her flower between her fingers. She had neither a garden or beautiful flowers in her apartment. She had not even green plants. Dylan always forgot to water them. So she had gone into a flower shop this morning deciding to buy one that was fitting. A long time she stand before very beautiful red roses, but that did not felt right. So she finally decided to buy the most perfect looking white rose.  
  
She stood there uncertain looking down at the coffin, picturing him lying there. His eyes closed for ever, those haunting remarkable eyes. 'Don't think about it', she told herself, but she had to. She thought about their embrace, the kiss how he had ripped out her hair. Then she knew what she was going to do. She find her fingers around some of her hair and with all her strength ripped it out. The uttered a silent gasp and then Dylan wrapped her hair around the rose, before she dropped it into the grave.  
  
She looked up and saw the mother superior nodding at her with a proud face. The nun seemed to agree that he would appreciate this last gift from her. Turning to her friends she sniffed realising that her eyes were full of tears that began running down her cheeks. Nat and Alex hugged her from each side and they slowly walked to their car. 


	4. Thoughts from the grave

Chapter 4  
  
That desperate scream of the red-headed angel echoed through his mind. It hurt him more than the blade in his heart. He wanted to reach for her, but he could not. His lung was filling with blood, his body weakened. He was falling, falling over the edge of the roof. Then he died, well did he?   
  
He still could think, remember, feel those confusing emotions, that scared him more than the fact, that he was again without any feeling for his body or the world around him. He had no eyes to open, no skin to touch and no breath to draw. Yet he still remembered how her lips felt. Kissing her was the most irrational thing he had done and the most wondrous.  
  
But it was not like him. Everything he had felt since that moment was so powerful he had difficulties sorting it out. His life precision, determination, order and he never engaged in action he had no control at all. So why had he done it? What made him hold onto the beautiful angel after he had pulled her away from the edge? Yet alone to kiss her?  
  
Even when he fetched a strain of hair, he always was doing it on purpose and knew the why. Hair had such a divine smell over it and it was so soft and beautiful, especially hers. One of the few pleasures he allowed himself to have. No, he had not controlled himself while kissing her. He was so lost in that wonderful experience he had grabbed her hair and just pulled it out. His excitement and confusion had been so great he had to cry out.  
  
Instead of trying to regain his control he was mesmerised by the angel caressing her face with his hair. Strange enough he had not even realised that she had torn it out. He watched her and had to think about her luscious, soft lips. He wanted to know what was going on and remembering that concerned, thoughtful look on her face he felt himself turning to her. Was he actually saying something to her?  
  
He was not sure what he was trying to ask her, but he remembered the attempt. He had felt so close to her like never before to an other person. Unfortunately he had to pay the price for dwelling in this state of exhilaration as the sudden pain moved through his body. He heard that Irish man's voice, but he was too focused on the angel's horrified expression to even realise what he was saying.  
  
Her 'No' haunted his thoughts. It gave him the feeling that she cared about him and he liked to think so. He told himself to stop being so irrational, but he could not help himself. There was no meditation, no exercise to perform. He was helpless lost in those last moments. He was not able to do anything but thinking about her. Was it that she was not fighting back like her Asian friend? She had not the slightest sign of mistrust in her lovely eyes.  
  
She was startled surprised and as he slowly loosened his tight grip on her, she even leaned into his arms. Not again, he told himself, he could not bear remembering that kiss. He never imagined it could be such a divine feeling, he never had done so before. It was no good to torture himself with it further. He searched for another memory.   
  
He tried to remember the first time they had met. She and her friends were good fighters he admired that in an enemy. And enemies they had been. He was to lead them to the place where Vivian Wood had tied her lover up only minutes before he gone to the party. He had not expected to be that challenged. At first he was stunned by their exquisite teamwork. They fought as one and he needed sometime to adjust, to drive them apart.  
  
If he only had been allowed to fight with all his cunning, ability and strength. Still it was a good fight, he enjoyed it and hated to end it by fulfilling his assignment. But the fact that he had conquered hair from the red head made it easier. It had a very memorable basic fragrance. He tried to concentrate harder on what had happened next during that disastrous involvement with Knox and Wood.  
  
He never been fond of them, but they paid the bill and he was honouring his contracts. That was one of his basic principles. It was what made him the man he was today. He was a well paid assassin, but then a man had to follow his talents. And at least he could support the mother superior and thank her for all the kindness she had shown him. Also she would never approve the way he made his living.  
  
He did not mind the killing. He was familiar with it since he could remember. Had he knew how complicated the whole plan was going to become he probably had not accepted it. He never died before during an assignment, but worst of all had been the scene in Knox house. He just had killed Corwin, to ensure that Red Star would not notice the illegal use of their satellites. He had known that other assassins had been send after the angels and was even more surprised to see the red head.  
  
Knox was taunting her and Vivian sure had her fun, too. Only that there was nothing amusing about it. He felt sorry for her. In his opinion nobody deserved to be treaded like this. That was made him so effective. He had no need to torment his targets, he just took them out. Knox was not getting it, his superior attitude matched with his inferior actions made him almost sick, but he remained silent - as usual.  
  
He even had learnt to control his body language leaving others to wonder what he was truly thinking or feeling. He seldom felt much and when he was overpowered by his feelings he just let them out all at once. That night he just felt a little satisfaction as he saw the sheet cutting into the glass shred. After all killing her was not his mission and he saw no need to inform Know or Vivian.  
  
She had survived and also it had proved to be fatal afterwards, he know was glad about it. It all had happened so quick. He was fighting the dark haired angel and it had been a good fight. She was quite the fighter. He could not resist to pull out her hair. He had better taken her more seriously. She hit him pretty good with that rock and was pushing him further into defence.  
  
The fight ended the moment the red-head entered the scene leaving him chained to Vivian Wood. What an awful experience it had been to be torn apart and burned by that explosion. Again he had returned, after a time gap of three weeks. How long would it take this time. Probably depending on how badly the impact had damaged his body. He was somewhat glad that he was always regaining consciousness in a fully regenerated body.  
  
He wanted to empty his thoughts getting some rest, but as soon as he tried to, he saw her face again. He was focused on her and considering this incredibly experience on the roof with her, it only seemed natural. And yet dangerous, it had made him vulnerable. Also it had shown him that there was more to live than order and devotion. Much more. He always suspected, but he actually never believed that it was meant for him.  
  
He probably should be grateful for that moment, it was not likely that he would ever again have the opportunity to experience this once more. And then again the way she cried out as the deadly blow struck him, left him with a small trace of hope. How would she re-act when he returned to face her? Would she let him come that close to her again? Being betrayed by Knox she should have learnt to be more careful upon whom to trust.  
  
After all he was just per incident on her side and also he hoped he never end up facing her as an enemy again. He knew to well who he was. If she remembered that, too … Don't think about it he told himself. But he had no choice. No matter how hard he tried to remember other events from his past, sooner or later the angel came back into his thoughts.  
  
Right back then when he had killed that petty assassin that was after Max. He had seen her before and as she was jumping by on her bike he grabbed into her hair. Different shampoo, but there was still her personal fragrance about them. He left the boy then to their care. He was sure they would take good care of them. Then again he had to think that they seemed not to shocked that he was alive then, but they had never really seen him die. Not like on the roof.  
  
Was it a sign that from all the woman he had met he only felt compelled to kiss her? What was so special about her? He had the feeling the answer to that question was strictly emotional and he knew he would not find an answer until he knew what he truly felt for her. There was nothing he had experienced that might help him. There was only one other person he cared for - the mother superior.  
  
Despite everything that spoke against him, she had taken care of him, but it was totally different from what he felt for the girl.  
  
She was more like a mother, the only mother he ever knew. He was told that his mother had did giving birth to him and he had no reason to believe it to be otherwise. The hate his relatives and the rest of his tribe had always shown him spoke for itself. At first he was not sure why they even kept him. Being so furious about him being only half-gypsy some would have expected that they left him with his father.   
  
He had always tried to ask about his parents, but he only received punishment and more hate. So he kept silent - literally. Words were obsolete, after all with his silence he had got more answers than with his questions. He stayed by himself and more and more they began to ignore him. It had gone so far, that he was able to overhear a conversation. Knowing that they had killed his father for stealing one of their sisters away he felt this terrible deep anger.  
  
He waited that night until everyone had fallen asleep than he barricaded the wagons locking them inside. It was not easy to get them to burn, but as soon as it began the fire spread fast. Setting the roofs on fire. He heard them scream, but he felt nothing for them. After all it was there law to take revenge upon those who had harmed the tribe, the family.  
  
Still he had always kept it a secret. Not even to the mother superior he had communicated what horrible deeds he had already done. Maybe he never confessed to her, because he felt there was nothing to regret. Should he feel sorry about it? Better to keep silent, it was always the best choice. Learning that there were other path he finally decided to walk his own path. Also he knew that the mother superior would not agree with it, he pursued that way.   
  
To her the knowledge would only be a burden. To him it was only means to an end the financial crisis that threatened to be the end of her work. Later it became the most natural way to live for him. Being a well paid assassin gave him a lot of free time. Part he spent improving his deadly talents, part was reserved for his interests.   
  
He loved to race, it was almost a shame that he could not keep the job at Red Stars. A real racing car was definitely something. Driving was a wonderful thing. Seeing the world rush by, experiencing the acceleration and still be in control. He also enjoyed to read. Something he also owed to the orphanage. Patiently they taught him how to read and write - even in different languages. Accepting his silence made him respect and listen to the mother superior.   
  
Than again was her beautiful blond hair. He never saw hair like hers before. It was not until this one evening that he even caught a glimpse on it. He had to take it. Ever since he felt the soft fabric in this hands he was obsessed with it. She seemed shocked at his reaction, but then she continued. Once in a while there was bit of her hair hanging out of her tight robe during those hair cutting sessions.  
  
She had such a kind heart. Maybe he cared so much about her, because she was the first to show kindness towards him. He wondered how she had treated him, if she knew what he had done. Was is it that what made him think so much about the angel. Because she had at least a good idea how he was and still she seemed to be opening up to him. It was strange, but there was no solution, no answer he could find to all his questions as his mind raced on and on.  
  
Then suddenly he opened his eyes and stared into darkness. It was almost comforting. He took a deep breath, moved his body and realised that he was trapped inside a coffin. Panic rushed over him and he tried to use all his strength to lift the lit. It was no use he knew it. He was probably already buried. Buried alive. He tried to stay calm, slowing his breath for he was not sure, what would happen if he used all the oxygen. Would he suffocate and come back? Revive only to experience it all over again?  
  
There was no way out. He had to accept that he would not escape by himself. Lying there trapped he began to notice the strangest things. Like how outstanding the quality of his prison was. Who would lay him to his final rest in such an expensive coffin? Only the mother superior.   
  
The angels must have informed her and she took care of everything. He hoped there was another explanation, what was he to do knowing that he was dead to the only person that ever cared about him. Maybe not the only one, but then to the angel he was also dead. Which brought him back to the question how he would react now when she saw him again. An endless circle that would stop even if he died again. If he knew one thing for certain than that he would not stay dead for long. He never did. 


	5. The Christmas party

Chapter 5  
  
Dylan had never been too fond of Christmas. Maybe it was because those "holy" days at her orphanage were the most dreadful ones, which always caused her to get into serious trouble. Also it was almost funny to remember her floor-keeper telling her what a naughty little brat she was and that she'll never be good for anything. Not to mention that living with 23 other girls from five to twelve in a dormitory was like living in the first circle of hell when your name was Helen Zaas.  
  
Also she began to have the impression that it was because her mother was killed three days before the 25th. Now she was here attending this huge Christmas-party. The only ones she knew, were Nat and Alex plus her boyfriends and the Bosleys. Also she was familiar with a few from Jason's friends thanks to her VCR. She felt really dreadful. There was no one here whom she had invited or brought along.  
  
True she could have found someone, but she was not in the mood for surfacial flirts in the last time. Her fellow angels were quite worried and she knew. It was not like she was not looking or stopped rambling with them about guys. She just stopped those pitiful dates with guys like Chad. She did not really missed waking up at some strange place. She only felt more unsettled - lonelier. Dylan was just not cut out to find the right guy.  
  
At least that was what her friends were thinking and somehow they developed the idea to start looking for her. Of course it had not worked so far, but Dylan was not surprised finding this guy who played Jason's arch enemy in the movies flirting with her like it was to be forbidden the next day. The red head sat in one corner watched the surroundings and listening to the music and Michael Longshanks alias Salazar.  
  
Dylan was so greatful as he headed toward the bathroom. Alex was naturally occupied since Jason had convinced her to use her place for the party. Natalie was looking nervously and talked almost since there arrival to old friends of Pete. Max was somewhere on the sofa behind her kissing Emilie Strandford, the famous figure skater, he had been so fond of since October. Once Jason learned about it, he used the fact that, she was a huge fan of his to visit her while she was training nearby.  
  
He took Max along and things worked out pretty good. It was not that she minded that everyone was engaged in very happy fulfilling relation ships, it was the fact that she had the feeling that she was doomed to spend her life alone. Every guy she had dated turned out to be a psycho or total nerd. It was so frustrating. Especially with the extremely gorgeous Michael talking about his little daughter and his treacherous ex-wife.  
  
The lonely angel leaned against the slim metal construction and tried to find out what was so wrong this year. The last Christmas-parties at the agency were fun, a party like any to her, but still enjoyable. The last cases went on pretty well, a few minor problems, but nothing serious. Alex, Natalie and she had lots of fun during and in-between. She even had beaten Alex in fencing. Maybe it was ordinary depression. She had read that it happens to singles around Christmas and such days where the family comes together.  
  
She took her second glass of champagne from a passing waiter and focused on the music. She nipped and recognised the song. She had not heard it consciously for a while.  
  
"I thought you'd be out of my mind - And I'd finally found a way to Learn to live without you - I thought it was just a matter of time - Till I had a hundred reasons - Not to think about you - But it's just not so - And after all this time - I still can't let go…"  
  
Dylan liked it, remembered that she had heard it last time as they went to "Gone in 60 seconds". For a moment she was actually relaxing. That had been right after they solved that case with the car collector. They all have been single then. In fact it was short after this, when Alex meet during their next investigation Jason.  
  
"…I've still got your face - Painted on my heart - Scrawled upon my soul - Etched upon my memory baby - I've got your kiss - Still burning on my lips - the touch of your fingertips This love so deep inside of me - I was trying everything that I can - To get my heart to forget you - But it just can't seem to - I guess it's just no use In every part of me - Is still a part of you…"  
  
Listening to the ongoing song Dylan suddenly felt her stomach turn to ice. The lyrics hit a nerve. It just was not empty words to her, she could rely to them in a painful way. She still saw his face in front of her eyes, she even had dreamt about him sometimes. Her hand touched her cheek were he had hold her giving that kiss she will never forget. She traded all the tongues kisses in the world for just one more of his.  
  
"…I've still got your face - Painted on my heart - Painted on my heart - Painted on my heart - Something in your eyes keeps haunting me - I'm trying to escape you - And I know there ain't no way to - To chase you from my mind…"   
  
She wished that the song would stop, but she did not want give her self away. She stood there listened to the words. Dylan had tried to get over it, but it was simply not possible, so she had learned to shut it out. Which seemed right now impossible. She was as lost to her memories as the I in the song. It frightened her a bit, since she did not even had a long relationship with him.   
  
It were just these few minutes on the roof, but she was still haunted by them. Not always and never as bad as in this moment, but there was something in his eyes that made her longing for an answer, that she would never get.   
  
"…I've still got your face - Painted on my heart - Scrawled upon my soul - Etched upon my memory baby - I've got your kiss - Still burning on my lips - The touch of your fingertips - This love so deep inside of me - I've still got your face - I've still got your face - Painted on my heart - Painted on my heart - Painted on my heart…"  
  
Barely realising that the song had ended she emptied the glass. Before she was able to flee, Michael returned and offered her to get a second drink. That sounded good and the did not knew she already had another. They went to the bar and got another round. Dylan felt the urge to turn around and ran, as he asked her whether the smoke was bothering her. Instead she excused herself to the bathroom, after she had finished her third champagne glass.  
  
Dylan grabbed another on her way and emptied it with one move. Alex bathroom did not look that tidy anymore, but she paid no attention to that. All she did was looking at herself in the mirror. Not to check on her make-up or lipstick. She was looking at the sad expression in her face. An expression that made her feel like someone else was staring at her. Her eyes shimmered more than usual and angel felt that she became upset with herself.  
  
"What are you doing to yourself?", she said loud. It was a shame that he had to die, but he had been a killer. Dylan knew that, told herself that it would have never worked out. There were no wonders in the world. No miraculous transformation. Real life was a series of injustice. It was her job to do something about it, doing it the right way without causing more harm. That was hard enough.  
  
Every time she had woken up dreaming about Seamus killing her mysterious rescuer, she felt tempted to drive to the hospital and correct the injustice of her ex-lover surviving. Killing a helpless person, no matter how rotten and evil, was not acceptable. The angel shook her head and as she heard someone knock at the door she returned to Alex's living room.  
  
Swiping another drink from a passing waitress. This time it was something with more kick, but she discovered that it made the situation more bearable. She found it harder to concentrate and Jason's opposite was at least drawing her attention in a different direction. Nothing cheered her up, but at least she started to analyse why talking to him made her depressive all evening.  
  
Probably the fact that Michael was really a great guy. He was just not her kind of guy. Not because he was still upset about discovering that his wife had been cheating on him during the final month of filming ME:2 - he was too perfect. There was nothing crazy about him, he was just nice and solid. The fact that he played a tremendously crazy, seducing arch-villain did not help at all. It made her wonder what on earth had made Knox so attractive?  
  
Was she truly drawn to men that carried darkness in their hearts? In that case she would not have had a little Chad. But then she had not really felt anything for him. He was amusing, sort of cute and she had needed that somehow - a diversion from her disastrous romantic life. Sometimes she really felt out of control. Repeating the same mistakes over and over again.  
  
But she had Nat and Alex. That was something she could hold onto. Dylan was almost starting to get drunk enough to make it through the party as Natalie and Pete posed themselves in the centre of the room and called for the attention of everyone. After the room went silent and Madonna was stopped in the middle of "Die another day". Natalie began smiling: "Well." Then she giggled and Pete came to her aid. He lay his arm around her shoulders and said with a proud voice. "We're going to have a baby!"  
  
The blond angel was smiling so brightly as if she was trying to overcome the sun. Judging from Pete's expression she was probably successful from his point of view. Everyone else was cheering and in midst of all the noise and congratulations, no one saw the lost expression Dylan face. A baby - that meant that Natalie would not be able to continue her work. Also expected in a way Dylan had hoped that it would happen and especially so soon.  
  
Discovering that they were just getting a pet instead of married, had been a relief. Things seemed to change fast. Natalie explained happier then ever: "It was not really planned, but now we doing it right. We decided to marry in February."  
  
More clapping was heard and the red head noticed suddenly the voice of her Asian friend beside her: "So she fits in a normal dress." Alex sounded also not very happy about it, but as ever, she was good accepting facts.   
  
"Had you any idea what was going on?", Dylan asked her.  
  
"No - I suspected that they were sooner or later getting into that, but not now", Alex said curling her hair.   
  
Both waved as Natalie turned her attention on them. Natalie's smile made it easier for Dylan to fake one of her own. This was getting worse by the minute. Like her life was slowly stripped from her. She tried to sound not as lost as she felt: "I'm just hoping I don't need to wear pink at her wedding."  
  
"Yep", Alex said and sighed. Dylan joined in. "Hey, that's so great, the two of them will make a lovely couple", Michael stated. "I just wonder, why you and Jason don't hit it."  
  
"Me? Married?", Alex replied. "Strange ideas, besides would be bad for the quote."  
  
Luckily Michael was not familiar with the Asian angel's dry humour. So he looked buffed and remained silent. "Heh, folks how's it going?", Jason interrupted slightly drunk wrapping his arm around his girl friend. He glared grinning like an idiot at Michael and Dylan.  
  
The angel was the only one realising that Alex almost threw him to the ground. She became good at stopping herself. "I need another drink."  
  
"Yep, me too!", Jason added.   
  
"Oh no, Jason, you had already too much", Alex decided and to the other she said. "Excuse us." Then she went away with him. The red head hoped she was not to hard on him. Sometimes they had so nasty quarrels. Dylan looked at Michael and he was happy to oblige. After all she was so shocked by Nat's revelation, that she seemed quite sober for the moment. Her head was swaying a little, but besides her breath, no one would have suspected that she had already so many glasses of champagne and a hard drink.  
  
It was really painful to think of Nat as bride and mother. To Dylan it seemed like she was standing far away from her friend. Like losing the only thing that still meant something to her. So she had another hard drink, not Champagne, Whiskey on the rocks. Dylan was not the type to get wasted, at least since she had become Dylan Sanders. The last time she had drunk so much was on Cobbler's Spot in Seamus car, but she did not remembered that.  
  
Dylan woke up in an awfully white room. Bright sunlight hit her eyes. "Ouch", she stated and turned. No she was not in a hospital, but her surroundings were alien to her. She was lying in an oversized double-bed. She was completely naked, except for the Thin Man's medallion around her neck.  
  
'Dylan, what did you do now?', she asked herself. She looked around. The angel had awoken from pretty strange one-night stands, but at least she remembered where she was and with whom. Worst of all she did not saw her cloth anywhere. So she grabbed the sheet and dressed it around her. Wondering who probably had such an eccentric bedroom. Looking outside the windows she saw a garden, which made clear that it was not Michael's place. He told her that he lived in a flat on the thirty-fourth floor .  
  
The angel listened at the door and sneaked into the large living room behind it. She almost touched the handle of the next door as it opened and Jason stepped half naked out of the bathroom. "Oh, hi, Dylan", he said and turned red.  
  
'This got to be a nightmare!', Dylan shook her head slowly unable to say or do anything. Alex was going to kill her. 


	6. December, the 25th

Chapter 6  
  
It was just one horrible scene - movie fashioned. Shock, embarrassment and horror were written in Dylan's face as she stared at an embarrassed Jason. Before she could flee or even move a finger a key was moved into the lock of nearby door. To Dylan it seemed like slow-motion as Alex opened and stepped inside.  
  
"Oh, great you both awake!", she said happily. Surprised Dylan looked at her friend then to Jason. "Morning", he said and hold on more tightly to his towel. "Hey, sorry, there is something wrong with the shower in my…", then he broke of and hurried upstairs to his bedroom.  
  
"What did I miss?", she asked the Asian angel.   
  
"Oh I guess everything after midnight, you were really drunk", Alex looked worried. "I never saw you like this. You took it all pretty hard, didn't you?" Her eyes were fixed on the medallion for a moment.   
  
Dylan sat down on the nearest sofa. She had not realised it so much before, but she had a headache not really a bad one, as to be expected, but it was there. "I told you - I don't like Christmas. It's a depressing time - at least for a single."  
  
"Look, Natalie won't be gone completely… we always be a family. I mean she is the first angel to leave for pregnancy. The others were shoot or got on the wrong side of the law. I'm sure she sticks around. She needs us as much as we her."  
  
Alex tried to assure Dylan knowing that her friend had no ties besides them.   
  
"Maybe, but it won't be the same with out her." The red head rubbed her face with both hands. "This is such a terrible morning."  
  
"You know some of his fans - and not only the girls - would sell their souls for having such a morning."  
  
"Sorry, I was too horrified to enjoy the sight."  
  
Alex looked at her friend in surprise that she started to laugh. Realising that Dylan's disapproving look, the Asian angel touched her arm and tried to stop. "Sorry - but how in the world did you get that idea?"  
  
"I don't know, but I did not know this place and… but I really didn't, did I?", she asked worried.  
  
"Well, you could hardly walk by yourself. Jason was also loosing it quickly, so I stuffed you both in a car, brought you to his place. I send him straight upstairs and then I undressed and washed you…"  
  
"Washed me?", Dylan interrupted.   
  
"Oh so you forgot the part were you threw up on Michael?", Alex giggled as she saw the expression in Dylan's face. "He was very understanding, you know. Anyway you got a something on you shirt, too. But you fell asleep pretty soon and when I looked upstairs in Jason's room he was already snoring. I heard him from the living room."  
  
"I hate Christmas!"  
  
"Well it's already noon and we have a still the office internal party. With lots of presents", Alex almost sung. "Here are fresh cloth from your place. I have brought something for breakfast as well. For your sensible stomachs."  
  
"Great", Dylan said and took the bag with her cloth from Alex. "I go take a bath."  
  
"And I check on Jason."  
  
Dylan locked herself in and leaned against the door. Part of her was so relieved and the other half was still worrying. It was just the kind of mistake she was capable of. She never would do something like that consciously, but then again she sometimes lost control of things to fast. She remembered drinking a few glasses of champagne, but after that. What had she been thinking? It was like there was great emptiness within her. A part of her missing, because that was not like her.   
  
That was Helen, not Dylan Sanders. She should know better, she did better in the past as an angel. She was not able to comprehend, why she was so much off track. She had beaten Seamus and paid a high price for it, but she had proven who she was. Accepted that she was an angel, that her place was with the agency, that she was not a bad egg living a live that did not belong to it. Well had she?   
  
Whenever she had been upset or mad, she always made the wrong decisions and depended upon others to save her. Or she was just plain lucky.   
  
She stepped under the shower, but all the hot water helped not to wash away her self-doubts. Dylan told herself that it was just Christmas week, that next week she was going to laugh about all this like Alex. After she had washed her hair she fetched a towel and rubbed herself dry. Another one was wrapped around her hair.  
  
She took a look at the clothing Alex had brought from her place and discovered that she had also added the make-up-kit. She put on her underwear and started to dry her hair. Usually she liked preparing herself for parties, today she did it with an emotionless routine. She laid the hair-dryer aside and slid into the pantsuit. It was a good choice, but then if Dylan remembered correct Alex had lent it to her six or seven month ago.  
  
It had wide legs and arms and broad belt which she tied tightly around her waist. Then she trimmed her hair and put applied her make-up. Being styled and dressed she felt at least a bit better. All she need was to ask Alex for her boots. They would go nicely with this. She needed to get the model for her self. Finally she left the bath and discovered that Jason and her fellow angel sat on the couch and waited for her.   
  
The look on their faces gave Dylan a chilly feeling. Her first thought had been that she found her hair in Jason's bed or something, but then she realised that they were worried. Something else, something terrible must have happened, that much was obvious to the red haired angel. "What is it?" And after a pause. "TELL ME!"  
  
Alex spoke up: "We had a call while you were in the bath - Seamus is gone from the hospital. Vanished for at least a day."  
  
'Yeah, just Christmas week', taunted herself. 'It's your fucking bad karma.'  
  
A moment she remained silent just staring at her friends, then she dropped on the other sofa and said: "What else can go wrong?"  
  
"Look, if you don't want to come to the office party, we'll excuse you." Alex felt bad to be the bearer of this news, but someone had to tell her. The Asian angel was also concerned that Dylan did not even asked how it happened.  
  
Dylan probably had asked had she been able to let herself accept what that truly meant. To her it seemed like a bad joke that fit right within all the other things that happened during the last 24 hours. No matter was else might happen, Dylan was determined to see it through. "No, I come with you, besides I hadn't the time to congratulate them personally", she admitted a bit ashamed.  
  
She was a big girl and she did not wanted the other to worry about her. Soon there would be enough to worry. Alex nodded: "Yes, you should do that. She would have come to you, but you seemed to have such an intimate, interesting conversation with Michael that she decided against it."  
  
"Oh, Michael!?", she said with an annoyed tone. "Who's bright idea was that?"  
  
Jason raised his finger in the air: "Mine?"  
  
Dylan sighed and turned to Alex: "Well, I guess we should be going - mind lending me your boots again?" She smiled and Alex did, too.  
  
"Hold on a second", then she turned and came back with a large parcel carefully wrapped in Christmas styled gift-wrapped. "Merry Christmas."  
  
The red headed angel looked startled at the present that was stuffed into her hands. "Thanks." Dylan did not dare to guess how much time Alex had spent wrapping that thing and she tried not to damage the ribbons. She put it on the couch table and bend over it to peel of the scotch with her nails.  
  
"You know Dylan - that's an interesting medallion", Jason suddenly said.  
  
"Yes, it is", she replied and put it quickly under her pantsuit were it rested save from discovery between her breasts. The last thing she needed was Max or Natalie seeing it. Alex was tactful enough not to ask her, but Natalie would certainly try and talk about it. Being occupied with her present she did not realised that Jason turned again face red upon her comment.  
  
As she finally had it open she found two pair of boots inside. One very similar to the one she always lent from her friend and the other a more slim heeled that was a little shorter on the leg. "Oh thanks Alex", she said hugging her friend.   
  
"Jason and I got them when were in Paris", the Asian angel informed her. Dylan felt a little sad that her present was not nearly as extravagant, but then she did not had the money to jet set around between cases or even shop were the brassieres started from 50 Dollar to 500. 'What a silly thought', she scolded herself. 'You spent hours and day looking for their presents. They are going to like it.'  
  
After she had become Dylan, she suddenly had so much more money and had started buying with out thinking. She still was working on her debts from the first half year. Luckily Charlie was very understanding and even felt sorry for not considering that she was never used to have so much money, that he helped her out. Now she was having very little money, but she learned to plan ahead and never buy to much on credit.  
  
She chose the lower boots and then they went to Alex's car. Bosley, Max and Natalie along with her fiancée were already there. The angels sat on their sofa, Pete took position at Nat's side on the edge and the other sat down on the opposite sofa. The whole office had a little Christmas decoration, obviously Natalie's work. Fortunately the cookies on the plate before them were a gift from Mama Bosley and not Alex work.  
  
Then Bosley pressed the button and Charlie's beautiful voice filled the room: "Merry Christmas, Angels."  
  
Synchronised they replied a "Merry Christmas, Charlie" shortly followed by a greeting from the guys.   
  
"And my congratulation to Natalie and Pete. As much as I hate seeing one of my angels leave as happy I am for them."  
  
At that point Bosley was getting up and went to the large Christmas tree in the corner that was packed with presents. "Right now I want you to enjoy this day, I have a little something for each of you and hope you like it."  
  
Jimmy was handing out a small parcel and a letter for each of the angels, who opened them under the curious eyes of the others. "Oh tickets! I love tickets!", Natalie shouted. she was smiling and then she hugged Pete. "Oh thank you Charlie."   
  
"Yeah thousand thanks", Pete said. "A two week voyage to Madrid including a grand dance festival!", he explained. "What you guys got?"  
  
"Well, Jason and I are going to Aspen", Alex said. "Thx Charlie." It often amazed Alex how much he knew about what they wanted, hoped for also he was never around. After all he was in the intelligence business and no doubt that he was one of the best.  
  
"And you Dylan?", Nat looked smiling to her.   
  
Dylan pulled out a paper that said that her car was now fully paid off and now completely belonged to her. "Thanks, but really Charlie you shouldn't have." She also had opened the small present and looked at the expensive earrings she had spent hours looking ever since she had that medallion fixed. The red headed angel felt for the first time truly happy.   
  
"Oh now angels, you risk your live at almost every job and this year has been especially hard on all of you. You deserved it."  
  
Charlie was so thoughtful, it was not the money spend that made her happy, but the fact that he always tried. It was not important that she grew up without a father, she now had the best. Also he was not physically present, but he was there for her and the others. It almost felt like he was actually there observing them. Alex had opened her box in the meantime. It hold a small delicate platinum ring that fit right on her little finger. Natalie had become a beautiful necklace.  
  
They started to hand out all the other presents they had for each other and Charlie remained connected. Dylan just presented her gift to Alex as they heard a beeping noise on Charlie's end. They heard him distantly talking to someone, then his voice reappeared loud and clear: "Angels, I call you back later, something has come up. I fear a new case has come up." Then the line went dead.  
  
"A case over Christmas?", Pete asked surprised.  
  
"The bad guys don't have free time", Nat exhaled. "I hope this gets solved soon. The festival takes places in the middle of January."  
  
"I hope it is not so annoyingly boring than the last ones", Alex replied. Either it had been petty surveillance jobs or something likely unchallenging. Except maybe for the three shot outs.   
  
Dylan said nothing, but she was happy about a new case, also she had the bad feeling it might involve a certain ex-boyfriend. It was strange that Charlie had not mentioned his escape, but maybe he did not want to spoil the day. 


	7. A new client and an old acquaintance

A/N: I'd like to thank everyone for their reviews. I'm sorry that it took me so long and that I needed so much time to get the story going, but Dylan's current state of mind, is important. I think now there be more interactions between Anthony and her.  
  
Chapter 7 A new client and an old acquaintance  
  
After Charlie had hung up the mood was pretty crushed until Natalie suggested that Jason, Pete and Max could go up to the race track and have some fun while they waited for their boss to call back. Bosley showed them the way out using this chance to remind them to be careful or to risk Mama Bosleys wrath upon them.  
  
In the meantime Dylan asked her fellow angels whether they thought Seamus might already be involved in the new case. Alex leaned back thinking and said: "Possible, but unlikely. I doubt that he is in any shape to walk around and gloat about what he has done - and I think you know very well, that this is what his revenge is all about!"  
  
Natalie nodded wearing her cheer-up smile that had seemed to have lost his effect on Dylan once Seamus was involved - or the Thin Man. "Even if he is - no way he is able to handle you", Nat added with confidence. She could one second be so silly and the next moment so utterly sincere. "No matter when he dares to cross our way again, this time we are going to send him back to prison till Judgement Day."  
  
"I wish I could feel that confident about it, too", Dylan replied unhappy. Since for a change the red haired angel was in the middle of the seating arrangements she was instantly hugged from both sides.  
  
The angels were all aware what a dangerous foe Seamus O'Grady was and none of them had been happy about his survival. But to Natalie and Alex he was no more than that and so they were alert but not mortified. He was Dylan's nemesis from the past. Her first love, her first betrayal and by doing what had been right, she had created an enemy that had come back and torn her peaceful life apart.   
  
"Hey girls, what about all the long faces - you act like someone had died", Bosley said as he came back and saw them cuddled together. He felt obviously like missing the link and concerned the same time.   
  
"Dylan is just worried about Seamus trying to kill us", Nat explained.   
  
"Ain't he in some sort of coma?" Bosely wanted to know.  
  
"Not any more, he escaped and that does not point out that he still is", Dylan said.  
  
Alex nodded: "The O'Gradys could have got him out of there anytime, but he depended on the machines."  
  
"So you are going after him?", Jimmy said feeling a bit left out.  
  
"Depends on the new assignment", Natalie said and you could see that she thought it was a good idea to go after Seamus first. The last time they had been occupied otherwise, forced to focus on the rings, but if they got the chance, they should try to locate him.  
  
"Even if it is not about him, one of us might be able to steal some extra time and look after him", Alex said. "I already had looked a bit on the O'Grady Files, I think it would not be that much of a problem."  
  
"Yeah, I did not know, when did you do that?", Dylan said surprised.   
  
"Right after we found out he survived, I wanted to get a hunch of how dangerous the family might become", Alex explained and just before anyone was able to ask what she found out the doorbell rang. "I'll get it", Dylan said and stood up. She did not knew why she rushed out to fast, maybe she expected a exploding parcel or Seamus on the doorstep. The red head wanted to deal with it, but she was not prepared for what she saw instead.   
  
As she opened the door she was unable to open it more than a little bit and a petite, very pale looking woman with curly raven hair was pushed through the gap into her arms. Dylan saw her frightened bright blue eyes and realised that he woman was around 30, but her real attention was fixed upon the silky mass of long black hair that blocked her sight out of the door.  
  
Then Dylan saw a delicate, dark skinned hand holding a gun observing the street in front of her. Finally the stranger woman holstered it and moved backwards into the hall closing the door. The black woman was about Dylan's age, but a little taller. A friendly smile and sign of relief appeared on her beautiful face as she looked at Dylan. "We're safe for now, Dr. Crushner", she informed the tense woman that the angel hold by the shoulders. "You must be Dylan Sanders, I'm Aurelie Barracuda. I'd say we have a phone call."  
  
"We'll see", the addressed girl replied eyeing her guest. As she realised that the woman was probably able to stand on her own she carefully realised her from her guiding hold. "Do you mind telling me what is going on and why do you carrying a gun?"  
  
"All in good time, but when I'd makes you more comfortable you may take my gun", Aurelie opened her blazer again and a nicely fit holster with a gun inside appeared under her left arm. "I'm sure we were not followed."  
  
Dylan took the gun a beautiful weapon, but she was not too fond of them. "Ok, let's go to the office."  
  
Dr. Crushner clad now to Aurelie's arm and as they reached the office she lead her to the empty sofa. "Angels, Bosley, Charlie", the black woman said doing so.  
  
"I'm glad you made it - where you followed?", Charlie inquired. He just had called as Dylan left the office and briefly informed them about Aurelie Barracuda and Dr. Anna Crushner.  
  
"I don't think so", she looked at Dylan as she added: "But I'd like to stay alert just in case."  
  
The red head handed the pistol pack. She was still a little unsettled by her dramatic entrance, but if she was alright with Charlie that was good enough for her. Since the other seemed to already knew more, she sat quietly on her normal place next to Alex. So the Asian angel moved closer to Nat without taking her eyes of the speaker-box. Natalie smiled at her and then again at Aurelie. While Dr. Curshner was staring at the floor in front of her. Bosley was fumbling as noiseless as possible in his huge desk drawer.  
  
"Let me brief you all on the situation", Charlie began. "Dr. Anna Crushner is one of the most brilliant scientist of the Black Arrow Company."   
  
The woman Charlie spoke of barely seemed to notice anyone's presence. As Bosley offered her a drink from a bottle his brother had kept for such purposes she looked up. Stared at the glass almost like she expected it to be poisonous. It was obvious that this women was scared to death. She was naturally thin, but it seemed she hadn't slept or ate properly for days. With a nod from Aurelie she took the glass and nodded a thanks to Bosley.  
  
In the meantime Charlie had went on explaining: "The B.A.C. is specialised on defence weapons and countermeasures regarding biological or biochemical weaponry. They mainly deliver to our government and some of our alleys. Dr. Crushner is the assistant to the head of the research staff - Dr. Margaret Sattler."   
  
Charlie stopped a moment while the angels and the others took a look at the pictures of Dr. Sattler and the firm logo that had appeared on the big screen. "Dr. Crushner had found crucial evidence that her superior had not only conducted illegal research to make her own weapons, but wanted to sell it on the open black market."  
  
"That's almost unbelievable", explained Alex. "I read many articles about her, I can't believe she would do such a thing. She is respected scientist and businesswoman. I wonder why Dr. Crushner did not went to the officials with her evidence."  
  
"I-I wanted too!", Dr. Crushner said and a slight east European accent showed through. Then she took a deep breath, every was listening to her, as she went on. I was collecting it secretly, it took me three weeks, I did not want anyone to notice what I was doing. One night I was gathering everything, putting it in the car and then…" she stopped for a moment. Then with her head hanging low she finished: "It exploded. I was luckily war enough away." Anna sighed and run her fingers through her locks.  
  
"That was all the proof I had. They knew and I ran for my life. I did not even dared to go to my apartment. I got as much money as I could then I stopped using my card. I ran from the lab in Seattle to Washington. There I was nearly shot in a café."  
  
Aurelie took over: "I happened to be in that café. You might heard about the incident in the news. Somebody had shot straight at her head. But Dr. Crushner ducked just in the moment and it hit the waitress behind her. Just this one shot. The distance was incredible. The bullet did not matched any other records. I'd had a hunch then, it was a professional and I was right."  
  
Anna nodded: "She saved my life and she offered me the help of her agency."  
  
"Agency? You are also in the business?", Dylan wondered.   
  
"Not exactly, we are specialised in security, bodyguards and such things. Our boss was for over ten years one of the men that protected the president. So he do has contacts. Like Charlie here and some others. Unfortunately so has Dr. Sattler and not only in our government as it seems. There had been other attempts and it won't stop until we have some proof."  
  
"So that's why you come to us. You need someone to break in and get it", Natalie concluded.  
  
Aurelie nodded: "You are the best and have the experience. One time or another they'll be successful."  
  
"They? Is there one person more with Dr. Sattler?", Dylan said.   
  
"Dr. Crushner things she is the head, no partners, but some of the scientist know. No, with they I meant … hard to explain." Aurelie rubbed her chin with one hand. "I told you there were already more attempts to kill Dr. Crushner. The second time I killed the attacker, no fingerprints, no name - It all points out to a certain organisation. There is no proof for their existence, but it matches the theory. Always changing weapons, no traces and once one is killed he is replaced with an other member. Otherwise I could not explain the second attack barely 20 hours later."  
  
The black woman seemed very concerned and Dr. Crushner looked like puppy left out in the pouring rain. "You seemed to have had former experience with them", Alex inquired.   
  
"True, my first actual assignment. My partner and I were getting our client to a safe house. We arrived I went on to check the surroundings. Then suddenly he appeared. Stabbed them swift as hell. A scary appearance, as I approached the car he was gone and they were dead. If I only had a weapon then!", Aurelie bit her lip.  
  
"Stabbed? With a rapier?", Dylan frowned. Could have been him, she felt her stomach turn to ice.   
  
Aurelie turned her gaze to the read head, she had the strangest look in her face and replied: "No - actually it was a kitchen knife. You never believed someone of his stature could move so fast…."  
  
"Angels I know it is Christmas, but this can't wait. I trust you can find a way in one of the labs, that had been used for the illegal experiments and take Dr. Crushner there. Despite Alex wisdom in this field, you need the doctors help to locate the proper data."  
  
"Understood Charlie", Natalie said, before Alex added: "That should be interesting."  
  
"Don't worry, Charlie, it's no problem at all", Dylan added. That was much better than hanging around on parties where everyone had someone except her.   
  
"I'm glad to hear that. Take Care, Angels", Charlie said and accompanied by a three-voiced "Goodbye Charlie" he hung up.   
  
Dr. Crushner gathered her strength and briefed them on the B.A.C. facilities that were involved in the illegal experimentation and production. The angel agreed to take a look at the nearest location this very night and scope out security. They doubted that Aurelie would let them take the doctor anywhere near that place before they knew for certain how to get in and out.  
  
While the angels prepared for their ride, Bosley showed Aurelie and Dr. Crushner one of the guest rooms of the agency. He had offered them to stay home at Bosley's, but the Doctor did not wanted to endanger anyone else. While the woman settled down in the large double bed room, the angels got all dressed up for their mission. It was certainly a challenge to break in such an exclusive firm, but that made it more interesting to them.  
  
Alex was finished first and called Jason, who was stuck with Pete at Bosley's place. The Asian angel informed the others, that the boys were having supper there and added a note from Pete, that he loved Nat and called their neighbours. Then the angels had to endure Natalie talking about how sweet their neighbours were, taking care of Spike now and then. It was already known fact, that Spike was one of the three babies the neighbours took Susie had, but it did not stopped Nat from mentioning it again.  
  
Then the angels took the agency's helicopter and flew 200 miles north-east and changed to an unregistered car from there. It head at high speed to the facility and the girls left the car some miles before in a side street. It was night and only the lights from the B.A.C. complex made it possible to make out the way. They entered the property through a self made hole in the wire-net-fencing. That part was easy, Charlie's angels were all taken by the excitement of the new assignment and could barely keep from talking as they moved closer to the buildings.  
  
Now it was imperative to be absolutely silent. Everyone wished they had molar mikes with them, but it was too dangerous. The transmissions could be picked up by the security central and they could be heard whispering to each other. Around the buildings several guards took their rounds. The entire complex was made of a main building with all the offices, some warehouses and isolated laboratories with extra security.  
  
Dr. Crushner might need to get inside all of them, so they separated. Alex went to the main-building - probably the most dangerous job. There were many lights illuminating the front and side entrances. Two guards passed by every 10 minutes. Like a shadow the Asian woman slipped in and out of dark corners wearing a tight, black leather suit and her hair back into a knot. Her eyes moved left and right, behind her and all around, checking that she was not seen and where and when to go next.  
  
Nat had not half as many guards as she approached the laboratories. She made it to one of the roofs, checking the circles the guards made and became quite taken with their sense of duty. No chatter, no distractions - strict and forbidding they took their turns. It did not made it easier, but the blonde angel did not mind, it was her idea of fun.   
  
It was Dylan who was almost bored. At one time she had seen a heel of a guard, but that far the warehouses were only secured by electronic locks not even very complicated, but the doctor had spoken of extra security inside, so she went inside. The were cages holding extra locks, and other rooms completely shut off by huge steel walls and a key card lock. She took photos and moved to the next one.  
  
Suddenly she had a feeling of being stalked. She moved around and hid behind a staple of wooden boxes. The red head did not hear anything, so she climbed on the flat roof. Where she laid and waited. Then the angel was sure - somebody else was lurking around and not patrolling. Probably one of Dr. Sattler's men t hat waited for Dr. Crushner. She really wished she had a head set, but the person might indeed hear the whispering. It was already tuff to move so silently.  
  
So Dylan did a little stalking, which became easier as she thought. Whoever the person was he felt confident enough to lit a cigarette right in front of her warehouse. Unfortunately she could see nothing, but a dark figure in the bad light. It was typical - Nat and Alex dancing around the lit buildings and she lurked around were she could barely see.  
  
There was something familiar about the smoker, but definitely no guard. So she jumped down directly at the lurker. She was caught in mid-flight by a foot that send her crashing into the hard concrete. But Dylan was more surprised as she looked up and saw into a very familiar face. It was the thin man - Anthony, those eyes, that look, but he was dead. She panted heavily for he had hit her in the chest, but she did not felt the pain.  
  
Frozen in her movement she had only managed to get up halfway and was still squaring were she had landed. She blinked her eyes and stared at him. It was him, but he was dead. Was it a doppelganger? A twin? As the thoughts rushed through her head she noted something else. He pointed a rapier directly at her heart. Her instincts told her to do something and she obliged. Anthony was dead and this might be the guy that worked for Knox, maybe they had been different person from the beginning and they had never known.  
  
She put her weight on the hand she still had on the floor and her right food. Then her left one went flying and kicked hard into the thin man's hand. He lost the rapier which impacted a few steps from them. As soon as her feet touched the ground she took the draft from the movement and kicked with her right foot hard into his stomach. Now she was standing and faced a new attack of him. Strangely she had the impression he was holding back.  
  
Before she found the words to address him suddenly even brighter lights from the main building flashed over the grounds and the nasty sound of an alarm roared in their ears. "Alex", Dylan said and for a moment her eyes turned in her direction. She paid for her inattention with a sharp pain and a strain of hair. Shocked she looked at the thin man sniffing at it and caressing his face with it. Then he turned and ran away into darkness.  
  
Not sure whether to see to Alex or to follow the angel lost a couple of seconds before she set after him. It was so strange, the guy that worked for Knox might be another one, she thought again and was near total confusion and brain-lock, but he also died, or at least should be dead. Also they did not found the body, but she has seen Anthony's - she had identified him. Whoever had ripped out her hair tonight, he vanished like when the angels were lead to Knox.  
  
Dylan dropped to the ground and only as she heard guard approaching with dogs - she jumped up and head toward the fence. Alex was there cursing and Nat tried to calm her down. As they saw her they ran for the car and stepped on the gas. 


	8. Fate or Coincidence?

Chapter 8: Fate or Coincidence?  
  
Why did this had to happen? He almost had believed he could just go back to his old life. At first he had not been sure whether he was able to, but as much as he longed for the red headed angel, as much he was afraid. So many doubts and he was never used to have them. It always had been obvious what to do or not. Now that had changed and yet he had told himself that things would become better, once the routine started.  
  
I did not. Sometimes he woke up from the most bizarre and horrible dreams. Confusing, unsettling images that made no sense and had not connection to past events. Before he had dreamt now and then, but he never felt so empty and shaken in the morning afterwards. He should have known that it was not possible to go back to his old empty life. She had changed him, but he had been to scared to accept it. Yet alone deal with it.  
  
He had not dared to go near her place. Not even to snatch a fresh hand of hair from her brush. It were those confusing emotions that he tried to avoid. He knew they would only grew and became stronger, the closer he get to her. Was it fear of losing himself or feared he her rejection?   
  
Now they had met under the most unfortunate circumstances. It was like fate mocking him for his cowardliness. At first he only reacted throwing the attacker to the ground unsheathing his rapier from the cane to finish his opponent. He did not like being disturbed in such a rough fashion, especially while smoking. Then as the blade made his way towards his opponents heart his anger turned into blank horror as he realised it was her.  
  
His eyes stopped as they discovered his medallion shimmering in a distant light. He was unable to move, his expression showed only shock and surprise. She was not as unable to act as he. Trained, almost conditioned one might said, her attack got him moving. Luckily she had unarmed him, or otherwise he might have hurt her. As they went on, he was able to cut back to mere self-defence. Meeting her, even under this bad light, was as worse and as wondrous as he had envied.   
  
Why had he not took the chance to see her on neutral ground? Now it was too late. All that was left to him was the hair he had ripped from her. He hold it tightly in his fist unable to put it away pacing through his apartment all night. From time to time he moved it over his face, inhaling the fragrance. It was so soft and smelled so beautiful it nearly made him cry. He only stopped as steps approached his door.  
  
He looked at the mail slot and a blank envelope was slipped through it. Who else but his contact would find the way to his place? An old cellar beneath an empty building in the outskirts of the city. Yet he had hoped for her. Imagining her on the steps. That would never happen, not now, not ever - he had destroyed every chance he had with her. He was not sure what he wanted from her, but then the answer was obvious. He wanted everything, he wanted her like he never had wanted everything before.  
  
Being a realist all his life he decided to lay those thoughts aside. He had already messed up and his job was still waiting. Maybe knowing for sure that he had lost his angel, he could carry on. He opened the envelope and read the note. The bold, black letters made him shiver. DISPATCH OF THE ANGELS. THEY MUST NOT INTERFERE.  
  
Moments he stood there just looking at it, but the message remained the same. He could not kill her, not her - fight her, yes, but even then he could not harm her, not on purpose. He could decline, but then a replacement would be sent in his stead. He might have trouble, but that did not bothered him. He knew his replacement would kill the angel, if not him the next one. He burned the note with the envelope in the old oven he used to heat the place. He checked himself in the mirror making sure he left the flat in proper condition. Then taking his cane he left the cellar and walked outside up the stairs.  
  
It was a grey, but dry day. He marched down the street and around the corner. He could smell the cigarettes his contact was smoking before he saw the elder woman leaning against the wall. Laura was a head smaller, about forty, now a very slender woman. She was pretty, long dark brown hair, she never used hair spray. He liked that. The first thing he realised at their first meeting was that her eyes had two different colours - one green, one brown.  
  
At first she was always nervous around him, but in time she became more than relaxed. He met her now for ten years to give his yes or no. He knew almost nothing about her. Except that she married and lost a lot of weight, but only because he saw the ring and her slimming appearance.   
  
Another example that magazines were nothing but a load of misinformation. He did not care for them anyway. Also he had to say he had been reading to a few of them. Since he had little experience with relationships he thought he could learn something. It only had disgusted them. So much uncertainty and hollow recommendations, it seemed all wrong to him. Like playing games, but maybe it was and he was not cut out to participate.  
  
As he approached she faced him and gave him that reminding look to stay away from her hair. Today he did not cared about it. Month ago it had been fun to catch his contact of guard. Since he got back from the grave he had not been tempted to rip out any other women's hair. He only wanted Dylan's. Still it was in his fist. Carefully pocketing it he drew his silver cigarette case out and opened it. He placed on in his mouth and Laura gave him fire.  
  
"So are you in?", she asked him looking worried in a way that made him uneasy. He inhaled deeply and nodded exhaling.   
  
"You know- you really look awful these past month- maybe you pushing yourself too hard."  
  
He raised his eyebrow. Normally she did not went past business talk. Then thinking about it he could not blame her, his reflection in the mirror after escaping from the grave has unsettled even him. He was getting paler each time or was it just the long darkness? He never spent to much time under these days. Also he looked sick, he did not felt that way, but then he hardly ever felt anything anymore.  
  
Laura sighed and walked with a "Take care" down the street. After a few steps she turned around. "You know I don't want to lecture you or anything, but maybe you should get yourself a girlfriend or so. Someone to be around with, even if it is just for a little while. It's good to have someone around - just my experience."  
  
He did not really listened to the last of it. He had not need to hear this. Laura was despite her extra job a normal person with a normal life and normal people tend to care. There were bigger problems ahead, now that he had accepted the job. What could he do? He did not want to go through with this assignment, but as soon as they realised that someone would be send, after him and the angels. Maybe he could get the primary target. It would then be obsolete to go after the angels.  
  
It concerned him that the customer in this case wanted to remain anonymous. He disliked being in close contact, especially after meeting Vivian Wood, but this time he wished he knew whom he was dealing with. It was one of his principles to be loyal to the client, but not at this price. Maybe he was to anxious. Most contractors were not nearly as disturbed as Know and his girl. It would anyway be stupid to risk unnecessary murders. Then again it might be unavoidable to deal with the angels in a way to get to the main target. He wanted to keep Dylan from getting harmed. But at any price? If he betrayed his contact he had nothing left and he wanted to avoid that.   
  
So he strolled to his car - a black Venturi. The French car was fast and then again had a low profile. It would not call for much attention in the city. He slipped behind the wheel and started the motor. Driving through the city he realised it was Christmas. A good time to place an anonymous donation for the orphanage. It also pained him that under no circumstances he was able to go back there. Dylan might have accepted that he returned from the dead, but it might have a disastrous effect on the nuns.  
  
He remembered those times when he was a boy and the orphanage had almost no money. Even then all the boys had got little presents. He still had the little white paper dove Sister Clara, now the mother superior, had folded for him. Nobody ever had given him a present. Not even for his birthday. Fact was he had no idea when he was born. He was about thirty four, but he only counted by summers.   
  
He drove from the freeway deeper into the city. He decided to look around a few locations to see whether he stumbled over them. It was handy that he had collected a bit of intelligence during the Knox case. He was driving by a street with expensive cloth shops, where the angel with the long black hair used to hang out. He had little hope to find her, especially after the incident tonight. He felt like avoiding to see Dylan by looking up the fierce Asian fighter. Yet he hoped that, if he saw her, she would not be alone.   
  
He was parking on one side, reading a newspaper he had bought, as he saw Alex with a handful of shopping-bags emerge from one of the shops. Something was different about her than the other shoppers around her. The Asian woman was overloaded, it was like she bought a completely new wardrobe. 'Maybe it is for Dr. Crushner', he thought. He watched her walking in an other shop and as she came out a few minutes later with a new bag, he was certain of it.  
  
It was not easy to come to a decision, but then in connection with Dylan nothing was. He started the car and left his parking space. The street was almost empty, a few cars rushed by. The Asian woman looked right and left and walked over the street. He saw the car come nearer unnoticed by the angel. The light had anyway turned green for the pedestrians. Instead of slowing down the car sped up ramming into Alex who had realised it at the last moment and tried to roll over the hut.  
  
He saw and heard the windshield brake and form a spider net as she crashed into it. There was little blood, probably because she braced herself for the impact, but she was send by it back on the street. He heard the crowd murmuring and yelling at the spectacle before their eyes. Screams of shock as the car simply drove over the young woman. The noise was horrible as the front and back wheels went over her body.  
  
It was time to get out of there, he stepped on the gas. Looking in the rear mirror he saw the angel lying in an odd position crumbled on the floor. Blood was covering her white top. The bags lay around randomly the content spilled out. He already heard the police sirens approaching. His hands shook a little, but he hid the car and himself in time. Thinking how Dylan might react to this, he felt his skin crawl.  
  
She would never forgive, but it comforted him, that at least she was safe for a while. Still he could not believe what had happened. He had hoped something would come up that helped him to make up his mind, but he had not thought something like this might happened. Still unsettled he changed the licence plates of his car - just in case and went away to destroy the old ones. 


	9. Too many questions

A/N: Next chapter ready, to all who might wondering about Anthony/Dylan Interaction, there will be much more of it in the next three chapters....  
  
Besides I like to say imagining Aurelie Barracuda I somehow had the beautiful black pirate girl from "Pirates of the caribbean" in mind, sorry forgot the name ;-)  
  
Chapter 9: Too many questions  
  
They made it to the helicopter and flew back, it was way past midnight and Alex was cursing like never before. She hated making mistakes. Nat had the feeling from what her friend said it had been nearly impossible not to set of any alarm. The floors in the main building must have had more than the usual extra security. The blonde angel was more worried about Dylan at the moment. The red head was white as a sheet and had not said one word since they escaped through the fence.  
  
"Dylan what is it?", Nat turned her head to the co-drivers seat. Alex stopped ranting and for a moment there was nothing to be heard except the rotor blades.   
  
Then the red headed angel said: "I saw him - An… the creepy thin man!" She wanted to say Anthony at first, but he was dead. She cover her face with her hands and shook her head. "I know how that sounds, but there was someone, looking like him, moving like him. The cane, the hair, the cigarette - he even pulled out my hair and I had the feeling he was holding back when we fought!"  
  
Even Natalie had no idea what to say. Both believed her, but of course they all knew it could not have been the same man that had helped them and kissed Dylan on the roof. They had buried him, seen how he died. "I thought it might be the guy from the Knox case, but he should be dead too and - I think he was recognising the medallion", Dylan suddenly realised, where he had been looking at.  
  
"I don't know what it means, but …", she moaned in despair.  
  
She had no idea what to think, even Alex seemed to lack a logical explanation or else she would have given it already. She just laid her hand on Dylan's shoulder. "Maybe someone tried to impersonate him - to get to you, but why should he be lurking around the warehouses?"  
  
Being tired and having no answers at all, they agreed to meet in the morning and talk everything over. They took their cars home after Nat landed the helicopter on one of Charlie's properties outside the city. Neither of them got much sleep. Nat was the luckiest for Pete had prepared a warm bath for her and then just took her in his arms and crawled her neck until she dozed off.  
  
Dylan's sleep was not very deep and she waked up several times turning on the lights checking whether someone was there, but her flat was empty. This was not a fair tale world, he would not come to her apartment, he was dead and whoever might appear before was certainly not some with a friendly attitude. Yet she hoped it was, that he had returned, but then again she would not have the luck, not her.  
  
Alex got herself into another fight with Jason. She had went over to his place and insensitive to Alex current mood, he reminded her, that they were supposed to go out together on a premier that was taking place in two days. He really had not meant to push her, just inquired about how the odds were to actually make it with the new case. She drove to her own flat promising herself to make it up after the case.  
  
The next morning all six of them were sitting in the office waiting for Charlie's call. After the usual greetings Alex reported how tight security was and Dr. Crushner confirmed that it was way beyond normal.   
  
"So somebody must have known that we were coming", Charlie sounded worried. "Angels, there is something else. Someone has accessed the plans for the new office building. They might also know that Dr. Crushner is here."  
  
"How do they find us so fast?", Aurelie was no doubt shocked by the news. "Where do we move her now?"   
  
"If I might make a suggestion - stay here. The building is secured against brake in, it will be easier to ensure the doctor's safety here than on the road", Charlie said with a calm voice. Aurelie nodded reluctantly: "If you think so." She appeared very unhappy about the situation and slightly unwilling to remain here.   
  
"Does that mean that those killers come here?", Bosley said nervously.  
  
"Yes, I'm afraid so, you better tell Max, that it is too dangerous to come here", Charles reminded him.  
  
"The question is - what do we do now?", Natalie asked. "Or better what do we do first?"  
  
Dylan nodded: "We have to find out by what means…"  
  
"… and to what degree they are up to date with our plans", Alex finished.  
  
"It seems most unlikely, that Aurelie or the Doctor said anything", Charlie said and for a moment Dylan had the feeling he was knowing more than he was sharing with them. But she was too busy with her own thoughts and dismissed it.  
  
"Maybe she was bugged?", Natalie suggested.   
  
"Impossible, we gave her completely new clothes. Controlled everything there was nothing", Aurelie said sounding insulted.  
  
"Maybe there is a hole in your organisation", Alex said seriously.  
  
"Yes and maybe the problem lies here!", Aurelie jumped up.   
  
"Girls, please don't fight each other", Charlie interrupted. "Aurelie - I can assure that the Angels and Bosley are trustworthy, but could you say that about all of your 176 employees at First Rate Securities?"   
  
The black woman sat down: "I guess so, but not every one knows about the mission details. All our employees are checked through. Half of the older active member staff, are policemen with excellent credits, some are even FBI. Bo.., äh Mr. Norman is very thorough about it."   
  
"Aurelie, did you inform anyone about the angels trip to the B.A.C. facility?", Charlie carefully asked with his sincere voice.  
  
"Well, Mr. Norman knows, but not specifically, I mean it was his idea to contact you. It's true I have talked to him, but only to request that he sends me additional, hmm gadgets. The carrier does not know who exactly he is delivering to."  
  
"Still we better check him out, when he arrives", Alex stated and this time Aurelie was not protesting, in fact she was thinking carefully whether there might really been a week spot in the organisation.  
  
"Something else, since Dr. Crushner is now trapped here for a while - I'd like to make her more comfortable. Maybe one of you angels be so nice and see to it", Charlie said.  
  
"That'll be me", Alex said. "I still feel like screwing up and besides I think Dr. Crushner and I are about the same build."  
  
Dr. Crushner gave a thankful smile to the Asian angel, but otherwise remained silent. Dylan wondered if the was sleeping all the nights as bad as she did this one. It was so dreadful when something bothered one and the thoughts ran out of bounds.  
  
"Well we could try another facility, but it might be equally disappointing until we now what went wrong", Nat said. "Plus we have another mystery on our hands, that needs to be solved."   
  
The blond angel was looking at Dylan, who was looking like lost in her own thoughts as she actually was. Slowly began to tell the others about her meeting with the Thin Man or at least the one that looked like him. "I know how that must sound", Dylan finally said, "but it was so him - he even recognised that", she pulled out the medallion. "He stopped his attack, he could have killed me, I'm sure of it."   
  
She suddenly became Goosebumps. That was something she became of aware for the first time. Also she had lost back then for a moment track of time, she was sure, she had not been able to deflect the rapier, if he had not stopped it. And he must have, and the reason seemed indeed the medallion.  
  
"Geez, you have been wearing this all the time?", Nat said almost shocked that she had not noticed. Alex nodded and a moment there was silence before Bosley said: "Man, that's so romantic."  
  
The angels gave him a strange look, but then Dylan smiled and so did Natalie. "Yep it is - and it is not nice that someone is playing with that." She was really angry and that did not happen often.   
  
"Angels that worries me. Also I must admit that I had been wondering whether this assassin Dylan met might be indeed member of the hit-men ring Aurelie was talking about in our first meeting. Anyway I trust that you are able to handle the situation."  
  
The black woman's eyes lightened up as she heard the comment from Charlie.   
  
"Sure", Dylan nodded feeling not one bit better. "But I'd like to check out some things today." Nat nodded: "I think I better accompany you, if someone is imposing the Thin Man, he is clearly trying to start with her, I'd just like to check out Dr. Crushner, before we go."  
  
"Good idea", Alex said. "I see that I get some information on B.A.C. - it'd be helpful to know whether security was generally increased or just in the valley. Then I go and get the things for Dr. Crushner."  
  
"Fine, I make myself familiar with the building", said Aurelie, who naturally could not leave the Doctor and felt almost useless at this point.  
  
"Angels, I inform you as soon anything comes up - Take care", Charlie said confident that his angels were going to solve the mystery.  
  
"Thank you, Charlie", they said and heard the clicking that indicated that he had hung up.  
  
So the Angels separated, Alex was going to the computer laboratory to discover more about the B.A.C. Activities. Nat went with Dr. Crushner down to another lab, were she was again carefully checked for possible bugs. Dylan and Aurelie sat still in the office with Bosley who tried to break the silence. "So Dylan what do you wanna do?", he asked.  
  
"Check out a grave", she said, not feeling familiar enough with their guest to talk about such a topic. Even then she felt that neither Jimmy Bosley nor his predecessor were able to offer much help. This was not a matter of ten reps each!   
  
"You really think it might be empty?"  
  
Dylan almost said - I hope so, but then stopped herself in time: "Would be most unlikely." She stared at Aurelie who had the most doubtful look in her face. "I guess there is only one person who could enlighten the matter…"  
  
"I'm sure he is not going to give it to us", Aurelie told Dylan, before the angel or Bosley could answer the doorbell rang.  
  
"For you?", Dylan asked.  
  
"It'd could be the package", Aurelie said and got up.   
  
"I see how Alex is doing", Bosley told them and got up himself.  
  
Both girls head down the hall of fame to the entrance hall, while Bosley parted and went through a door upstairs. Dylan opened the front door while Aurelie secured it holding her gun ready. It was the delivery boy. He stood calm on the steps until the black woman told him that it was okay. A strange image as he suddenly behaved like a regular postman letting Aurelie sign a paper before he handed over a big parcel. They parted and closed the door carefully.   
  
In the office Aurelie unpacked it right away. It contained a bullet proof vest made for Dr. Crushner as well as two new pairs of guns, that except being totally black, reminded the angel of Madison. Aurelie removed her weapon and took out the new ones with the holsters and said: "They belonged to my partner, he never had much use for them."  
  
She sighed: "Luckily Bo- b agreed that with all those assassins lurking about it was not overdone too have so much firepower." Dylan looked in the parcel discovering more ammunition, two throwing knifes and a munitions belt. "Are you going to war?", she asked unbelieving.  
  
"No, but I won't loose another client to an assassin", she said firmly.   
  
"So you kill them on sight? Is it that?", the red head was sensing that Aurelie was a bit too fast in her decision, but then so was she.  
  
"If it is necessary - I can't afford to be generous, they are too good. So don't expect me to make exceptions!"  
  
The angel realised that she was talking about the Thin Man, that she would kill him, first chance she got. 'Damn it, Dylan', she told herself. 'It should not bother you.' But it did and Aurelie knew, she had realised it the first time she heard her talk about him. 'Have I become that transparent?'   
  
"He is mine to deal with", Dylan said unwillingly loud. Aurelie stared at her surprised and fired back: "If he comes close to her, I really don't care."  
  
Somehow the black woman's attitude bothered the angel, but before they could start a fight, Nat and the doctor came back. "You were right - no bugs, but I suggest we bring along a good meal when we return, Anna needs something to eat."  
  
"I told you Nat, I can't eat", looking at the angel she gave in. "Ok I try something."  
  
"Don't worry you are safe here, we won't be long or Dylan?", Nat asked smiling.  
  
"No, I don't think so", the red head replied chuckling herself as she realised that Dr. Crushner had needed only a few minutes with Nat too go to first name basis, while Aurelie was still formal with her. Anna seemed more relaxed anyway. Probably she just needed to be around someone like Natalie who was even in crisis not lost to all good thoughts.   
  
They left the two behind and head outside to Dylan's car. "I want to drive", she said.   
  
"No problem", Natalie said and got in the car on the co-drivers seat. Dylan was glad that she could do something she was almost prepared to do during the night, but she felt not up to it. Now she was glad that she had waited and had her friend with her. The angels remembered very well the funeral. "You think he might have been not entirely dead when you identified him?", Natalie asked her.   
  
"I almost hope so", Dylan admitted. "But no - he was dead." Her eyes became wet and she sped up. "Still I want to find some things out - maybe someone inquired after him and … I really don't know what to think. It's so irrational, I can't get through the bottom of it. I don't even see the glass."  
  
Nat looked at her, not sure whether she should talk to her about it or leave it alone. They certainly had done so the past month. "Dylan you know that you could have talked to us about it, don't you?", she finally told her.  
  
"Yes - I just did not want to, I can't tell why, maybe because I don't have a clue what it had actually done to me", she said indicating that she still did not want to talk about it. Yet she wanted, but she was afraid about the outcome, especially since last night. Instead of picking in Dylan's wounds Natalie changed the subject to Aurelie. "What do you think of her?"  
  
"I don't know, but she is way to keen on shooting, maybe there was no other way, but maybe there was and she simply hopes to get a certain assassin in front of her gun!"  
  
"You think about the guy that killed her partner?", Nat wondered. "I can't imagine she tries to bring him out. Anna told me how overprotective she is and that she feels saver with Aurelie around."  
  
"Might be, I just told you what I thought", Dylan replied and slowing down as she came nearer to the cemetery. The gate was open and she looked for a place to stop the car. "Ok, let's take a look", she said, after she found a parking space. The cold wind whistled through the trees and the two angels stepped on the graveyard grounds. "Ever been here since the funeral?", Nat wanted to know. Dylan shook her head. No she had not been, she hated thinking about the dead rotting bodies under the earth. She rather remembered them as they had been alive.  
  
Yet they found their way easy to the grave, leaves lay upon it and the gravestone the mother superior had bought said: "In loving memory Anthony an angel in life-time." Underneath his name was only the death date, the birthday was missing like his last name.   
  
Dylan was just staring at it, while Nat suddenly said: "Strange the stone is slightly edged to the left."  
  
She was right, but what did it meant? "Let's look for a keeper or something and ask him about this", she told Nat and the two went strolling. The wind was getting more intense and Nat's even longer hair was flying past Dylan's face. "Sorry, you think I should cut it again? Might get unhandy", she laughed. "Pete already thinks it does."  
  
"Well, I like it this way", Dylan said rubbing her head.  
  
"Oh look Dylan - there is someone", Nat pointed to a figure that was working on a grave with a large wheel barrow. The angels walked over to him. "Hello, there, can we have a minute", the blond girl started and instantly got the intention of the old man. "Well, young ladies, what can I do for you?"  
  
"Are you responsible for the cemetery?", Dylan wanted to know.  
  
"You might say that also I'm not the only one", he took of his head. "I think a storm is coming tonight."  
  
"It is about the grave near that statue", Nat pointed out to an angel statue, "it misses a last name and a birthday."  
  
"Strange that you asked about that one - oh I know what you mean, but after all this time?", he shook his head and then replaced his head looking at Dylan who inquired what he meant by it.  
  
"I'm talking about the grave robbers. Numerous cases until the opened this one. I found them myself. Father and son, lying dead in this very grave!"   
  
"What?", both angels yelled.   
  
"I'm not making fun - the corpse was gone, maybe a partner went kinky or so, but the police found a piece of jewellery that belonged to dead woman whose grave was also dug up in their apartment. Both had broken necks."  
  
Dylan looked at Nat and in her mind was a voice screaming: 'It was him, oh my god, it must be him.' Still it all seemed rather strange to her. The blond angel looked worried at Dylan. "That's indeed odd, is there anyone visiting the grave?"  
  
"Yes, young lady, a couple of nuns, come at least every month or so and say there prayers for him, very nice nuns I must say. And now and then a boy with curly hair shows up. Luckily none of them cares much about flowers", he said.  
  
"Well thank you very much", Nat said and followed Dylan who already walked back to Anthony's grave. "What do you think", her friend asked as she caught up with her again.  
  
"I don't know, but what if it is really him?", she bit her lips.  
  
"I think someone is playing a mean game and he has gone way to far!" Also being usually cheerful Natalie was not believing in ghosts, zombies or people returning from the dead. Neither was Dylan, but this time she wanted to believe it so badly. It worried her friend.   
  
"The boy could have been Max, but it also might have been someone else", she sighed - instead of answers they had found more questions.   
  
The wind rustled as both of them felt and heard their cellular phones ringing. It was not a call it was a message. Both read the display and then with out loosing a second they rushed back to the car. 


	10. Broken wings

A/N: I was a bit uncertain, if managed to bring Dylan and the way she acted along plausible. So please tell me what you think about it ....  
  
A/N2: I also like to thank my reviewers - it's much more fun to write a story and get feedback ;-)  
  
Chapter 10: Broken wings  
  
Dylan was going way over speed limit, but she did not care, it was the first time they got a message from Charlie on her handy that told her to come immediately to the hospital. She really had a bad feeling about this. So did Natalie, was there an attack on the agency? Did something happened to Dr. Crushner or Aurelie? Or worse?   
  
It was pure luck that no police car was tailing them as Dylan pulled onto the parking lot, taking two places at once, jumping out and rushing towards the emergency room. Nat was right beside her. Soon they say many news people with cameras and styled up reporters in front blocking the entrance. The police tried to shove them away, but there voice about freedom of press and nobody seem to give a damn about new incoming patients.   
  
All that interested them was obviously Jason Gibbs. Shoving their way through the angels heard them inquire about how he was or felt. Finally Dylan reached the hospital side of the news mob, but was also stopped by the police. "Damn it, let me through", she said having the worst of all bad feelings ever. "Unless you are patient - I can't do that, sorry", a young man in uniform said.  
  
"Please - we have been called here, it is important", Nat tried wishing she knew what exactly was going on. "I bet Alex is inside", Dylan said.   
  
"You mean Alex Munroe, Mr. Gibb's girl-friend?", the young officer asked.   
  
"Yes, she is our friend", Nat gasped. "Well - I guess I can make an exception for you", he said and winked both of them through. Both instantly went to the desk, where a busy and annoyed looking nurse greeted them: "I hope you ain't reporters!"  
  
"No, we aren't, I'm Natalie Cook and this is Dylan Saunders", Nat said with a smile to break the ice and the nurse eyes showed that she was familiar with the names. Her general expression turned to sadness as she said: "Go to rest room 4, you are expected."  
  
Hurrying on the angels were prepared for the worst happening to Jason, but instead of her fellow angel they saw a broken down Jason as they opened the door to the shown room. Knowing Jason's acting skills they knew what the look and the tears in his eyes meant. It was a look that would have suited him in the first movie, when his movie love was killed.  
  
"Alex!", Natalie said and Jason looked up, nodding and starting to cry even more badly. The blonde angel began to sob, knowing that it was bad that her friend might even be dead. Dylan just stood there, hardly able to breath, she felt the need to cry and scream, but she was too shocked and not able to express herself in any way. She barely noticed Pete coming from the bathroom back into the room, placing the glass of water in his hand on the next chair and rushing to Natalie.  
  
He just took her in his arms and she hung her arms around his neck. "They operating her now - it does not look good."  
  
"B-but - sh-e's a-a-li-ve?", Nat managed to press out between her almost violent sobbing.  
  
"Yes, she is", he said. Dylan say that he was looking at him. She felt herself also looking at him, she so barely needed someone to hold her. He realised that, too and loosened one arm from his fiancé and pulled Dylan closer to them. Feeling some kind of support Dylan began to cry to, not like Nat, but her cheeks were over run by tears and her make-up smeared all over, but she did not care. "What happened?", she said, but deep inside she already knew.   
  
She could almost hear Seamus voice: "???"  
  
Damn him! Hate was rushing over her and as Pete explained it only grew stronger: "She was passing the street and a car drove over her. The doctors are worried… they think the operation will go on for some hours. Complicated fractures, possible head trauma." He was also at the edge of crumbling. Dylan took a step back. The grown hate and fury gave her the strength to stand on her own. She nodded a thanks to Pete.  
  
Then she looked at Jason who was just sitting there head down, she swore that she made Seamus pay for this. Finding out who he was, well, she was certain that was not really a problem. Not anymore, she turned and left the room. "Dy--lan?", Nat called after her.   
  
"Sorry, I need some time alone", she lied and yet did not. What she wanted to she needed to do alone. She should have done it, but false righteousness kept her from doing so. How could she be so careless and selfish? She should have known better and now Alex was nearly killed by a car - still in mortal danger.  
  
She rushed down the hall, outside the main entrance, where also some reporters were held at bay. In the corner of her eye she realised that more police had arrived freed the way to the E.R. Dylan set back and drove off. Not to fast this time, she did not want to be caught. Her first goal was the agency, she slipped through the side entrance and into the office. She could hear distant cries and realised it must be Bosley.  
  
It seemed Aurelie took care of him. She took a deep breath then she took Aurelie' gun from the desk where it still lay. She was going to need this, if she wanted to find Seamus. It was all she could think about. When she wanted to stray from that direction her fury got he right on track. Charlie was not going to appreciate it, a small voice whispered. The angry one shut it down with no effort: He would not like seeing Nat die either.  
  
Then she snug out and head in her car to the harbour it seemed almost too easy. She parked in the underground garage of a firm that belonged to the O'Grady's. Import and Export via ship, Troy, Seamus favourite cousin was head of the branch. Behind his fake legal cover he sat firmly and save. 'Not this night', Dylan thought. She took a look at all the cars, while she had hoped to spot his car. So many vehicles down here looked rather expensive and might have suited the Irish mobster. One was particular promising, but she had to be sure.  
  
So she changed her plan and went in the elevator upstairs to the entry hall. Keeping her head down so nobody might recognise her face on one of the surveillance cameras, she bumped on her way out into someone. An Irish accent showed through the man's voice as he yelled at her. "Sorry", she said not daring to look up. The voice sounded familiar, but she was too determined to get through with it and dismissed it.  
  
The man went into the elevator, muttering something like: "Stupid bitch" and some other things Dylan did not understand. At the front desk she asked the unfriendly looking male: "Hi, there! Is Troy here?" It was hard to smile, but she managed. She always did her best and worst, when she was upset. Sometimes the best and the worst was one and the same thing - like testify against Seamus. Playing one of Troy's dolls was disgusting, but she needed his office number.  
  
Looking around in the garage she had seen the signs at the walls, some where with licence plate matches, but all had either an office or a green stripes on the walls or floors. Anyway her trick worked. Dylan talked at least enough to get the floor and room number out of the desk sergeant. She smiled satisfied and went back into the elevator. No doubt left - Troy's was the blue Mercedes with the Elvis figurine in front of it. 'Such a phony sucker', she thought remembering.  
  
Seamus would have to learn that she was not Helen anymore and that laying hands on her friends was the worst idea he ever had. She should have done it instead of heading to Mexico, but then she just had been sad, frightened not mad with hate like now.   
  
She got back to her car and turned her cell of and threw it in her car, pocketed the spare ammunition and put on the holster and the gun. The fact that his Mercedes was an older model with no laser cut keys made it almost too easy. Being a nostalgic kind of guy, Troy had his week spots. She grabbed herself a few breaking tools.  
  
Avoiding the cameras, Dylan let herself into the luxurious interior. She wondered what kind of car he used when he was on unofficial business. It was very dark and she posed herself out of sight. She had worn black cloth anyway. Thinking about it she had worn more black the past month than ever before. It was unimportant at the moment. Then she remembered to turn off the inner light completely and went back to her little place behind the front and back seats.  
  
She waited and waited, but nothing happened. The thought that she might not be able to do it, occurred to her. It was wrong, but better to disappoint her friends then lose them, watch them being hunted down by this maniac that used to be her first love. Dylan felt weak. It drained too much out of her, she could not stand much more of changes in her life. Especially if they rushed in so utterly surprising and unwanted.  
  
Maybe not all, but she had not strength left to think about Anthony, the Thin Man and her willingness to accept the idea he might actually have risen from the grave. The first cars started to move out and she was sure her cellular would already been ringing like hell, if she had not turn it off. She would tell Nat later that she was alright and she did not have to worry about herself, Pete or anyone close to her. 'Poor Nat', Dylan thought, 'but I protect you!'  
  
Finally she was becoming nervous. Two men talked right next to the Mercedes for some time and she was afraid that they might see her. As they went she was relieved, but found herself again waiting and becoming more and more anxious. After an eternity she finally heard him coming out of the elevator joking with other O'Grady familiars. They parted and he got in the car. Troy O'Grady placed his briefcase on the co-drivers seat and plugged the key in.  
  
The moment the engine was started Dylan brought up the gun to his temple. "Just go nice and slow and get us out of here." It would already be dark outside and even if not in this city nobody cared. Troy played it cool, not a sweat, no elaborated breath, he hissed barely surprised: "Helen - Helen Zaas. How was your day?" The gun hit him instantly, his coldness brought up her anger that had been stagnated at the car floor.  
  
'Good, I need that', she told herself. "Shut up, I ask the questions. Where is he?", she demanded with trembling lips. Troy groaned in pain and was slowly raising his hand to touch the source of his pain. "Keep your hands on the wheel!", she barked and stopped his movement. She was nervous and hoped it did not show through, she could not allow him to struggle. Pressing the gun back at his head he laid his hands back.  
  
He drove the car out of the garage and eyed her carefully. The angel was determined like never before, for some reason it made the mobster smile. "What's so funny?", she spat at him. "Nothing, I…", he began, but he was interrupted. "Good, now take me to him!", she ordered. "To whom?", he asked, but did not managed to sound convincing. His toying around annoyed the redhead, but she was not allowing him to distract her. She was in control here, whether he cared or not. "Feeling lonely?", he started to smile again.  
  
Dylan just tipped a few times with the cold metal point, where she had hit him and the smile disappeared. "Tell me where he is and how he is", she urged him. "Well, what do you think how he is? You sent him to a coma, not enough that you caged him away", he said but before he could become more angry, Dylan said: "I intend to put him away for good this time. I don't want to repeat myself!"  
  
"He is a couple of miles out of the city, a large villa", he said and left the garage. "Good take me there!", she repeated. "Well, if you insist", he said. Anxious Dylan observed her hostage, but he was too cowardly to make that mistake. He also kept his mouth shut, but as they left the city he asked: "Have you someone following us?"  
  
"No, why do you ask?", the angel was not happy and sensed a false play. "Well, I thought there was a car following us, but I can't see it right now. It's a …", he explained before Dylan interrupted grinning: "Sorry, you waste your time. I keep my eyes on you. You watch the road!" He shrugged his shoulders. Sweat was on her palm and she adjusted her grip on the gun. "How long?", she said.   
  
"Half an hour." As much as he liked his cousin, he was still more interested in his own well being. Dylan heard that Troy was upset, but she did not cared. There were just a couple of criminals, that grouped together to cause more damage. Finally the Irish man pulled into an alley blocked by a huge iron bar gate. He pressed the opener and the ornamented gate separated without any noise. He pulled on the grounds and in the back surrounded by even more trees was a huge mansion. Dylan orderd him to stop before they came closer to the house.   
  
It was a shame that such a low life like Seamus lived in luxury while hard working people had often a difficult time to make their living. Maybe she should just get him back to prison. "He'll hate that", the red head thought, but this was not about revenge, it was about prevention, with him gone the O'Grady's would focus on her and only her. Maybe Max, but she was not sure whether Seamus enlightened anyone on his new identity. She bet not, for the head of the family might have demanded that he was attacked right away. It was surprising that Seamus father did not asked for head, but then that was his sons affair.  
  
He stopped the car and instantly Dylan knocked him out. She turned the lights of, then the renegade angel took his tie and fumbled his arms around the seat. As she was finished Troy was tied firmly to the back of his seat. The sponge and the leather cloth in his door was used to silence him. Then the red head moved the seat so far up, that his legs were trapped. She was a bit exhausted from the climbing around in the car, but now he was not able to disturb her.  
  
She took his keys and slipped out the co-driver side. The building was obviously not well guarded on the outside. Often she had stopped and looked for one, but heard nothing. Anyway she doubted that any information given by Troy would be correct. Hopefully Seamus was inside the building. Passing the huge round fountain in the gardens before, she through the right between the sea roses in the lowest ring.  
  
Dylan approached the building from the west side, where had seen a light behind a room with access to a balcony that had nearly as much space as her apartment. Was it Troy's private place? The police would have searched those, wouldn't they? She pressed against the building listening. The balcony was open she had seen the curtains leap out in the mild wind. A door was opened "Mr. O'Grady, your midnight snacks", a female voice said. Another door was closed. "I'd really like to have you for a snack", a certain very familiar Irish voice said suddenly.  
  
'You sound weak, darling', Dylan sarcastically said to herself. Climbing up was easy, a black iron climbing frame for a lovely white climbing roses, went right up to the first floor next to the balcony. Stealthy the angel reached the ground, her hands bleed a little for she had accidentally touched a few thorns on her way up. It was more annoying to hear Seamus and the woman, obviously the missing nurse, for she told him that for now she was only his nurse.  
  
Dylan took an elevated look from the corner over the grounds. She filtered there talk and as soon as the woman left the room, the angel snug closer. A few doors leading from the balcony were open, but only one room was lit. A huge bedchamber with cloth wallpaper and an ornate ceiling. She took the gun in her hand, feeling uncomfortable with it, then she thought of a broken Alex on the operating table and appeared in the door frame.  
  
Seamus looked at the gun in her hand, then at her. "Helen, so nice of you to stop by!", an annoying smile on his face. Dylan was not prepared for all that she saw now. Seamus was lying in the huge four poster bed, a drip right next it. He looked pale, more skinny, but still he was acting like he was in control. Dylan started to sweat. The room was warm also the door had been open for some time. She thought about a reply, but telling him again, she was now Dylan Sanders, seemed a bit silly.  
  
She smiled back - contemptuous. Before she was able to tell him that he had played his last foul game, she felt someone beside her. "Drop the gun", an other Irish voice said. It was familiar, she turned her head slightly and in the corner of her eyes she saw the guy with the scars in his face. One of Seamus bloodhounds, the guy she had bumped into earlier. 


	11. Captured

A/N: Thx to Jess and skyfire for your reviews ;-)   
  
Chapter 11: Captured  
  
Dylan could have bumped her head against the wall for being so blind and stupid. Keep your head down, nobody will recognise you. Stupid girl - Seamus recognised you with the mask and the hotel boy uniform. People tend to recognise you. All ranting did not help much - she was in big trouble. She heard Seamus dirty laughter and a sore look appeared on her face.  
  
A moment she considered attacking Seamus lackey, but even if she would be fast enough to kick the gun from him, she heard footsteps - of more men closing on them. Also she had theoretically the chance to fire a shot at Seamus, which was what she came for. Practically the angel was not able to. No matter how much he deserved it, she was no killer. Maybe at the height of her wrath, but all it brought to her was trouble. There was no one that could help her.  
  
A faint hope that now that Seamus had her, he might not go after Natalie as well, occurred to her, while the gun fell from her hand on the thick carpet beneath her. "Good work, Ian, but then you would not dare to disappoint me again!", Dylan's nightmare addressed the man still aiming at her. The other men, two as Dylan realised now, went passed them and into the living room. Both had automatic rifles. 'That would not have been a pretty end', she sighed. Also the angel had the feeling that a much worse end was yet to come.  
  
"I have to say, the late presents are often the best, secure her would you, Ian?", Seamus asked and then he pushed a button by his side. Dylan was forced down almost immediately by Ian. Then she had to raise her hands above her head and who was she to argue with a guy that had a gun. Kneeling she watched how a beautiful young blond woman entered the room. It was the nurse - no doubt about that, she even wore the uniform.   
  
Disgusted the angel looked aside, while she walked towards him. He told the woman that he wanted to sit up. Curious why he needed her for it, she turned to see him take the effort off raising from the pillow he had been resting on.  
  
The nurse put it in his back and help him as she slowly sat up. Dylan smiled as she saw how tiny his chest looked without the muscles. Of course in the coma they had all faded away and now eight years of prison work-out were gone. "Yeah, smile Helen", he spat at her, "you won't anymore, when I'm through with you! First I get your two friends, then that little kid, your Bosley and everyone else. I enjoy your face, when you have to watch them die slowly - while I recover - then I'm going to deal with you, Helen."  
  
He spat her name out. In an useless attempt Dylan replied: "They don't have anything to do with our conflict …" Then something he said occurred to her. Her two friends? "You had nothing to do with the assault on Alex!", she told him surprised.  
  
Seamus started to laugh. "Oh that's what's behind your visit, someone hurt your friend and you thought it was me? That's beautiful - I feel honoured. Tell me how bad is her condition?"  
  
"Bastard", she yelled and rose in her fury. Ian kicked her in the back, she lay on the carpet breathing. Dylan moaned in pain. Slowly she rose to her knees. The angel knew that was only the start. The Irish mocked her and she had to bring up her hands onto her head. "Why don't you give the lassie a few little ornaments", Seamus suggested and the guy to her left went to a drawer and got a pair of handcuffs. Ian took them and with one hand he closed it around her right wrist - very tightly. Trying to be brave as long as she had the energy, she fought not to show the pain she felt.   
  
She waited for the second cuff to close around her left wrist, but instead she heard Ian grown, accompanied by the noise of steel cutting through flesh. She turned her head, feeling that someone jumped half over her. Ian dropped to the ground blood covering the shirt over his belly. His scarred face a mask of face and disbelief. As the angel turned she saw the Thin Man standing before her. His empty cane sheet in his left hand while a bloody rapier blade was in his right.  
  
The other men fell to the ground and in the corner of her eyes she saw that both their throats had been sliced open. It did not really matter to her. She got on her feet and lowered her arms. Her legs trembled. His eyes were upon her. After a moment he sheathed his weapon and took his cane in his right hand. Dylan watched him approaching her. There was no Seamus, no nurse, no dead bodies. It was only him and her. She felt her heart beating with anxiety.  
  
His hands touched her shoulders, moved down her arms. The angel did not care that he still hold his cane with one. His face came closer to hers and all she was thinking about was him kissing her again. Dylan was about to close her eyes as Seamus voice interrupted this wonderful moment. "Helen, you really become cheap", he called into the room. Dylan's eyes popped wide open and she starred at her rescuer disbelieving.  
  
What Seamus had not seen, that in the same second he opened his mouth, the Thin Man closed the other cuff around Dylan's wrist behind her back. With an unreadable expression on his face he turned and walked towards Seamus unsheathing his rapier once more. The angel realised that he was about to finish him off and while part of her longed for his death, her rational voice told her that it was wrong.  
  
"Don't", she said and followed the pale figure to the bed. Both men looked at her - also the nurse who was pressing herself in terror against the wall behind the bed. Confusion on all their faces. The angel was also confused, but her anger and passion had brought her nothing but trouble today - like always. It was time to rely on her common sense and rational thoughts. Killing a helpless person was wrong.  
  
The Thin Man seemed to feel different for he turned with the raised eyebrow he had given Dylan towards the Irish gangster and stabbed him right through the Adam's apple. The nurse shrieked shortly seeing this and fainted. The angel stepped back, realising that even if it was him, somehow she stopped doubting that, he was still a dangerous assassin. She was in no position to deal with him and wished desperately that Nat would be by her side.  
  
He was here and he was closing on her, so Dylan decided to ask him, also she had little hope for an answer. "How is it possible? I saw you in the morgue, I was at your funeral", she broke off as she saw the sad look at his face. "It is you really you, isn't it?" The angel almost cried asking this and seeing him nod. 'Don't be weak now, think, Dylan, think', she told herself. It was not easy, there was so much she felt and yet knew for sure.  
  
It made it hard to find a straight logic train of thoughts. She believed he was on the same case, just on the other side. Yet he had helped her, but he also chained her up. What did that meant? The angel pointed with her chin to her back. "Why?", she asked and looked at the Thin Man, his cane dangling almost harmless on his arm. Was she now better up than a few minutes before, she liked so believe so, but seeing the blood covering the pillow under Seamus, gave her little Goosebumps.   
  
He did not made any gesture that indicated that he made even the effort to explain. Instead he took her arm and pulled her along. Dylan struggled laying her weight on both feet trying to stand her ground. "No, I'm not going with you!", she told him firmly. The Thin Man looked at her and his eyes made Dylan believe that he was not all to happy with the situation either. She had no time to study what was hidden in the depth of his eyes.  
  
All of the sudden he grabbed her around the waist and lifted her on his left shoulder. Now she had a clear sight at the backside of the Thin Man. It did not escape her though, that he was trying to kidnap her. Also in a way she found the idea somewhat fascinating, there was an assignment she was on and he obviously was taking her out of his way. 'Get a grip on yourself', she told her, but she was surprised about the ease he carried her out of the room.   
  
On the one hand she was so upset that he killed Seamus, cuffed her and did not even kissed her, on the other hand the angel realised that if he wanted to kill her, he probably had done so. Did that meant he liked her? Why did she still hoped he was? Regardless what her feelings were, she could not allow this. The angel could not allow "her" assassin to harm Dr. Crushner, which was no doubt his assignment. Dylan struggled violently, but he hold her down with just one arm and walked on.  
  
Still she did not stop her efforts and ultimately she was set or better lain down on a sofa in another room. Her head rested on the pillow and he pinned her with all his weight down. The angel looked at him, a strain of hair was tickling her nose, but he gently removed it.   
  
Very ungently he ripped it from her head. He brought it up to his nose, closing his eyes inhaling. It was like a man that found water after travelling for days through a desert.  
  
Dylan just had to watch, she might have used this moment of distraction to free herself, but seeing this brought back memories from the roof. She halfway expected him to scream, but as he saw her he laid his cane on the ground and brought a small silver bottle from his inner jacket out. He unscrewed it with agile movements of his fingers and then removed his handkerchief. Dylan tried to free herself as she realised that it must be some sort of anaesthetic.  
  
With her hands cuffed on her back and him perfectly nailing her down, she could only struggle a little and watch the cloth getting soaked with the liquid from his bottle. Then he moved it to his right hand, that was barely moveable because his right arm lay on her stomach and his hips on hers. The left hand brought he white linen closer to her face and she smelled the clinic stench inches before. She tried to turn her head, but there was no escape. She breathed in the vapour and began to feel dizzier with each draft. There was a time, when she had a smart answer for anything, but that seemed to have left her. With this last thought she dropped into blackness.   
  
Waking up the first thing that came to her mind was a closing door. She blinked and realised she had only a mild headache. The light was soft and the handcuffs gone. The room Dylan found her self in had no windows, where they had been once old brick-stones with cement blocked the sight. Still it was very orderly - especially in comparison with her apartment. The furniture was Spartan, although the bed she lay on was quite comfortable. The only thing that bothered her was the small piece of metal in her rear pocket.  
  
'Great', she had a round of spare ammunition, but no weapon and her cell was also gone. On the desk nearby stood a glass and a bottle of cold water. 'Wow room-service!', she thought rising up. If that was the Thin Mans idea of a peace offering she really had to set a few things straight. She drunk a few sips right from the bottle and as she felt it running down her dry throat she got up. The door was locked - of course, it would have been to easy. The wardrobe and the cupboard were empty. The search was completed fast, because there was not much to search through.   
  
Dylan did not even had anything that was made for breaking through the door. The room was just perfect for a kidnapping. She was not worried much for herself, but now Dr. Crushner chances were diminished by far. Aurelie would have no chance against the Thin Man. At least Seamus was out of the game and Natalie was save. The angel wondered what would happen if Nat was to cross his way trying to protect their client?  
  
Suddenly she remembered, that Seamus had nothing to do with the assassination attempt. If he had, he would have bragged about it loud and proudly. So who else could have been responsible for it? "No", she said loud and got up. Not him, she could not believe he would do it. It was not his way. She felt her breath and heart beat speeding up. Dylan could not stand the thought that he might have done this.  
  
'Easy, Dylan, he prefers the cane', she told herself over and over again. She had to find out who had done it. Dr. Sattler herself, another of her lackeys, or was it Seamus, did he lied for some reason? She wished she knew how Alex was, the thought that she might have died, that the operation did not went well.   
  
It was all her fault, hadn't she rushed on without thinking, she could have been at Alex's side this very moment. Nat must be terribly worried. The red head sat on the bed and rubbed her forehead. What had she been thinking, her friends needed her and had been running again. What had she found out? That she was somehow willing to believe that The Thin Man - Anthony - had returned from the dead.  
  
But could there be someone that moved, fought and felt like him. The angel doubted it and if there was someone to return from the dead, she found it not so unbelieving that it would be him. 


	12. Explaining oneself

A/N: Thx again for the reviews, I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's full of D/A interaction  
  
Chapter 12 Explaining oneself  
  
He locked the door behind him, leaning against it and took a deep breath. Feeling like a coward he slowly turned around to face the grey steel door. He had watched her all night until the sun was up high. The moment she seemed to wake up he fled the room. He was afraid to face her. He craved to talk to her, explain her, but what was there to explain? She never accept him. She did not even wanted him to kill the Irish bastard. He was sure it was not because she wanted to do it herself. He was the killer, she the angel. She never be able to kill someone in cold blood.  
  
Why was it so easy for him? It seemed so rational normal to him to end Seamus O'Grady's life along with his men. Leaving any kind of enemies behind was illogical and dangerous. Still he knew that people thought it to be immoral to kill even such persons. He even ended the lives of numerous innocents - not feeling the slightest sense of guilt. Before the rocket tore up his body, he was sure to end up in hell, but that was not causing fear in him. Even if he still was to, it was of no consequence to him.  
  
He had accepted it as fact once the nuns started to teach him. Redemption was unreachable for him as long as he could not regret his deeds. If he had not accepted those assignments somebody else would have and the orphanage would have been forced to close it's gates. Then it had not been those contract killings that had made him belief, he was to end up in hell. It was the murders he had committed before the nuns had taken him in. He could not even remember feeling any hate doing it, he just recalled doing it.  
  
Since then there was only one being on this planet that had ever caused him to have so strong confusing emotions. And she was right behind this door. What was he going to do? It pained him so much, being so close and yet so far away. One step into the room could be the end of all he secretly hoped for. It was so unlike him, but he clutched to it. Being more afraid to let it go than to let her in.   
  
Being in that room with her he had realised how precious those emotions were. The pain, the desire - the worry, the joy - he never felt more alive than watching her sweet face. How she cuddled into the pillow as she went over into a sleep phase. Touching her cheek was like burning his fingertips with fire. Was it for fearing she might wake up or the guilt to touch her like that being what he was?  
  
He took out the new strain of hair he had collected from her, it was nothing like having her so close and her scent travelling across the room to her. Almost disappointed he put it away. He turned away from the door leaving the corridor he light a cigarette. Maybe the smoke would diminish those strong cravings for her by taking her scent away. It was a delusion, but it seemed lately that only on those his style of life was able to function.   
  
At least the angels were now out of business. Hopefully the blonde woman was no longer on the target list, being not nearly as dangerous without her two friends. What was he to do? Release his angel after killing the primary target? If he would not finish the job another stepped in and might even kill her - not matter how closely he was going to watched over her. There was no way around Dr, Curshner had to die and fast or she was to take more people close to Dylan with her.  
  
It was either sacrificing her or his silly hopes. But then being irrational as he already began to think, would he be able to preserve them? Did he really want to become more delusional? Making mistakes would not kill him, well not for long. He snipped his cigar half -smoked to the ground and stepped on it. Maybe he could explain her, maybe she was able to understand. It was one of his hopes that she wanted to and he knew what made him believe in that.  
  
The way she stood on the roof watching him, even running his hair over her face. He took it then and now for sign of wanting to understand. Even though he was taken away by the rush of intensive feelings as he sniffed on her hair, still halfway caught by the touch of their lips. It had been impossible to just keep that to himself. He wondered what gave him the strength to turn away from renewing that sweet experience.  
  
Then again he could not kiss and betray this intimacy by cuffing her. Fortunately he had seen picking her up from the sofa, that one was closed far to tight and removed them right away. At that moment he almost felt glad having killed that bastard. Luckily he had waited at the hospital for her and decided to follow her. He still was confused by the Alex' accident and felt better being close to her. In front of the door he took a deep breath and unlocked it.  
  
Hoping she was not expecting him right behind it. A fight would make things only complicated. As if they were not already. He saw her rising up from the bed as he entered and closed the door. He had his eye on her as he locked the door again. It was very obvious that she disapproved very much about her kidnapping and he dreaded that the sour look on her face resulted not only from that deed of his. Her hands opened and turned into fist in a constant rhythm.  
  
"Damn it", the angel began, "what do you think you are doing?" He looked a moment down then he came closer to the table. It was all that parted them. She watched him searching his face, her expression changing from anger to the one she had shown on the roof. Slowly he took the notepad he carried around for the seldom case that he was forced to communicate. He was not sure why he did not spoke the words. He knew he could, if he wanted to.  
  
He wrote in elegant letters: "Protecting you."  
  
Almost in bewilderment she looked at him. "In my vocabulary I call it kidnapping!"  
  
She seemed really mad at him and that hurt too, only differently. He shook his head, not really being aware of it. What was the best way to start? He hesitated, laying the pad on the table, using several sides, to clearly write the message down: Let me explain - The order was to - stop you from -interfering, - if had not - my successor would - have killed you! He turned the pad and gave it to Dylan, quickly read through the pages. "So you just, holding me here until you killed that poor woman?"  
  
He nodded, but seeing the look in her eyes, he took the pad back and wrote on one side quickly: You can't save her, you'll die with her! It changed nothing in the angels face. He became more and more desperate as he realised that even understanding the logic behind it, she never approved. Her expression was so similar to the one she gave Knox as he was bragging about how he used her. He felt losing the grip on himself. It was more than he could stand, so he turned and head for the door. He felt so weak, as if he was the one trapped, not the one with the key. Maybe it was just having so much to communicate and not the means to accomplish it. He almost reached the door, as he heard Dylan call him Anthony. It surprised him the only person who lately used that name was the Mother Superior and even that not even to often.  
  
The nuns might have given him that name, but it meant nothing to him. He never introduced himself to anyone as Anthony. Not to the men who brought him in the business and taught him how to kill, not to anyone inside the organisation and not even to his contact, but now he was glad she knew and used it. She made it sound so natural and he felt a certain warmth swapping over him. With his heartbeat becoming stronger he turned to her.  
  
"I guess I should thank you - for saving my life … again", Dylan's careful look made him tremble inside. It seemed she still cared, like she must have when she cried out for him as he fell. He took the notepad still in his hand and scribbled on the next empty page: "I feared you were assuming, that O'Grady might be behind it, I simply had to follow."  
  
The angel slowly had stepped around the table, but stopped as he looked at her. Finishing the long sentence, he crossed the distance eagerly and gave it back to her. He had no idea what changed her mood, but as she showed a faint smile, reading what he had written, he felt again this strange craving. Her lips were so beautiful. Maybe he could dare to kiss her. He had the feeling she wanted it, too, for suddenly she said with a much softer voice.  
  
"I'm glad you did, I …", she broke off closing her eyes. He still could not believe what was going on, he placed his hands on her arms, pulling her to him. Softer then the last time, for now he was not surprised by what he longed to do, gone through it already million times lying trapped in that coffin. There had been so much things he had not noticed the first time as he rushed into that kiss. Her warm and soft breath, the deep almost melodious breathing and the so familiar scent of her hair filling the air between them.  
  
He moved his head closer and the moment he was about to kiss, something went wrong. He felt it both. How her breath stopped and her eyes popped open. She caught him completely off guard, pushing him back and causing him to fall on the floor. His reflexes got him up squaring, he looked up shaking all over uncontrolled, hurt from the betrayal and the withdrawal of that intimate moment. The pain caused by that was nothing compared to the cut Dylan's loathing stare at him hurt.  
  
He was speechless, not understanding until her trembling lips formed slowly words of pure hatred: "You did it!"  
  
Realising she was referring to Alex, he got up violently shaking his head. "Don't try to deny it - you wrote it down yourself." She plunged the notepad like a dagger at him, her face white and red with anger. He was so disturbed by all this, he just kept on denying what he heard the only way he knew to and backing off.  
  
Like a fury she stood there barking at him: "How could you even thinking about kissing me?" Almost near panic unable to stand her words and the tears in her eyes anymore, he fumbled out the key and opened the door. "Don't dare to lock me in here", he heard her saying, fleeing the room. As he was in the corridor he already had grabbed the door behind him and pulled it shut. The angel that seemed to have turned into a hellcat, was pulling on her side. Only with the greatest effort he was able to lock it.  
  
He let him fall against the opposite wall, he thought there was nothing worse than dying, but he had been wrong. As easily as he could stand any physical pain as badly was he prepared for this. The tears that run down his cheeks proved it. He was actually crying. Had he ever done so before? He could not remember. Hearing her sobbing even through the thick steel door, made it not better. He needed to get away from her. Breath in fresh air, he needed the comfort of his clear rational world. Doubting he was able to reach it anymore, he slowly stumbled down the corridor like a beaten dog. 


	13. Failing to understand

A/N: So here is Dylan's POV, not really something new, I hope you still like it.  
  
Chapter 13 Failing to understand   
  
Dylan was upset as he came back into the room, where he had abandoned her. He might have rescued her, but to drug and lock her in without so much as an explanation was not acceptable. The angel told herself not to let her silly unreasonable feelings interfere, in case he dared to waltz in here like abducting her was the most reasonable thing to do. "Damn it, what do you think you are doing?", she asked him upset taxing him with his eyes.  
  
The red head did not realised how feverishly she made fists. She became a little calmer as she saw him looking down. So he knew it was wrong to hold her. How else could one interpret it? She saw him drawing out a notepad covered with leather, that had little sheets with blue lines on them. He began writing across them and showed her the first page. He thought he was protecting her, by bringing her here? She did not wanted to believe that.  
  
"In my vocabulary I call it kidnapping!", she told him firmly. The sad look on his face made it so hard to keep this up, but if she started to become soft now, she knew how things would go on. Maybe that would not be so bad. Alone the fact that she was so eager to believe in his resurrection, that she wanted him so badly and that she seemed to find prove in almost anything he did, made her go through with it.  
  
She kept the angry look on her face and as she read his note, that became much easier. He admitted so easily that he was doing this on orders. The red head could not believe it. What was he playing? Maybe Nat and Alex had been right and he was just a distraction. His actions made no sense, one moment he seemed to care about her, the next he seemed so cold and distant. What he had written down also proved what she had been suspected.  
  
"So you just, holding me here until you killed that poor woman?" she asked, but it was more like a statement. Still seeing him nodding she felt disappointed. Who was he? From what she knew about him she should stay away, consider him to be nothing but an enemy, yet she was constantly looking for any signs of affection towards her. 'That's so crazy', she said, if that was indeed a trick, it was the meanest ever played on her.  
  
She read what he hold out to her. It seemed he had made a clear decision, it should made her glad that he was concerned for her life, but experiencing how willingly he sacrificed others, she could not feel positive about it. What if that was part of the game? She had not even thought about fighting him for her freedom, she just stood there, waiting for him to give the answers she wanted to badly. It was that desperate look on his face that stopped all her negative thoughts.  
  
If it was not him, if he did not cared about her, he would not have saved her from Seamus' grab. Especially when ordered to stop her from interfering. Anthony was not evil, he just had spent to much time alone in his dark world. At least that was what Dylan liked to believe. She wanted to believe that she could show him that it was wrong to take lives, no matter what reasons. The angel did not want to lose him again, she wanted him to stay, she need to resolve things.  
  
"Anthony", she said softly. The red head watched him turning and coming back to her. "I guess I should thank you - for saving my life … again", she looked straight at him. She owed him her live twice, so this was already overdue. He had not expected this, he appeared to be relieved and yet tense. Anxiously she watched him writing and took the notepad as he finished. He was so close to her. With her heart beating feverishly she read. The message seemed to prove that he cared about her, like she hoped.  
  
Her lips formed a smile, if this was really true, she might make things work. "I'm glad you did, I …", she did not know what to say and instead closed her eyes, hoping he was going to kiss her again. Dylan knew he was going to, as she felt being pulled close to him. She suddenly felt very comfortable and save, which appeared to be very strange. Remembering that he had accepted to stop her from interfering and that he had not problem killing her client.  
  
Then just before their lips were meeting, Dylan's eyes popped open and she pushed him away. The thought that had crushed her mind earlier had reappeared. Was he likely to be ordered just to go after her? If somebody knew the agency was on Curshner's side, that somebody would go for all of them. It did not left much room to think who besides Seamus, had a reason to attack Alex.   
  
Also he might have feelings for her, he was so cold about everything else. If he was able to kill to go after the doctor, did that prove not that he was able to go for her friends as well? She recalled his last message: I feared you were assuming, that O'Grady might be behind it, I simply had to follow.  
  
He knew it was not Seamus and there was only possible explanation: He had driven the car over her friend. She stared at him feeling so betrayed and angry. "You did it", she told him. The hate in her was even stronger than when believing Seamus to be the guilty one. From him she had not expected any better, but from Anthony, that was painful beyond anything else she ever endured.  
  
She saw him shaking his head, looking like he had been the one that was hurt. He went back to the door, but she was only starting to let her wrath out. "Don't try to deny it - you wrote it down yourself." She pointed the notepad at him, but he only went away further. There was one thing that made her hate him at this moment even more: "How could you even thinking about kissing me?"  
  
This time she would not just stand there, as he was fleeing the room she hurried to the door. "Don't dare to lock me in here!" she yelled, but it did not stop him from pulling the key and opening the door. He closed it so quickly she had to push the handle down to open it. After less than an inch, Dylan felt him closing it again. She put a foot against the wall and pulled with all her might, but without success. He turned the key.  
  
Having difficulties to breath, she let herself fall down on her back, panting and realising that it was not just the physical effort, but the tears wetting her cheeks. Her nose was closed and she sniffled more with each attempt to breath through it. Her throat felt like she had a lump in it. She fought it, but only more tears and violent sobs were coming out of her. Realising how useless it was she finally gave in.  
  
The angel could not tell how long she spent on the floor, dwelling in her pain, before she had calmed down enough to get up. Her body ached, especially her throat and face. She rubbed the back of her hand over her still wet cheeks. It seemed her make-up was not as waterproof as advertised, black smears were on her hand. She searched her pocket for a handkerchief, but the only thing she found was the clip with spare ammunition in her rear pocket.  
  
Dylan pulled it out. It was another prove how stupid she was. Especially as she realised that it was some sort of key fob. She twisted it and threw it with a loud, angry groan against the wall. On the one hand she felt like tearing the whole room apart, on the other hand she felt tired, powerless. She needed her friends, but how could they possible find her? Alex could be dead or at best in intensive care. Natalie probably did not know what to do first. She must be dreadfully worried.  
  
The red head knew it was all her fault, she always acted to fast. It was so bizarre. She had wanted to kill Seamus for what she thought he did to Alex and now that she knew it was Anthony, she felt different about it. She was mad at him, but nothing in her wanted to take revenge on him. She shook her head in disbelief. The feeling of betrayal was strong, she was so disappointed, but that was all. Her mind was already looking for excuses on his behalf. She finally began to understood Mina in the Coppola version of Dracula, when she banged her fist on the count's chest after he told who he was and she realised that she still loved him also he killed her best friend. Seeing it she had thought it to be simply absurd and crazy.  
  
Maybe the reason she always ended up falling in love with earth greatest psychopaths was that she belonged to a mental institute herself. She had wanted this kiss also she knew he intended killing Dr. Crushner, that he killed a helpless man and even this not for the first time. How sick was that? How was she to explain this to Charlie, Nat or Alex? They would be so disappointed in her. Could she dare to tell anyone what was going on inside her, when she thought about him?  
  
The angel was not able to understand it herself, how could she explain it to others. They anyway only tell her that he was dead and someone was trying to drive her crazy. Maybe they were right. Believing in people raising from the dead was sure a sign of losing one's marbles. "Oh Alex - I need you!", she said and a few more tears escaped her eyes. The cool rational Asian angel would be able to calm her down and sort things with her out. Dylan wished she could deal with emotional problems like her, just going on a time-out, keeping her hands easily from the object of her desire.   
  
Madison had been right with what she said about her. She always had to prove how tuff and independent she was and could not make it one day on her own. Natalie and Alex could take care of themselves, but she seemed to have lost that ability. After her mother's death it was her against everyone in her room against all the caretakers and teachers. Thinking about it, even then she had always ended up in trouble, but at least she had managed.  
  
Angels are like diamonds, they have to be found not made, maybe that was right, but she was the last one too join the Agency. Nat and Alex were already working for Charlie, when he introduced her. That had been fun, to meet the two of them, after going through that ordeal with Seamus. It was the first time she really meet girls she felt connected to. Especially with Alex, who had such a rich background. Before that she simply hated rich people, scratching their cars, throwing stones in their swimming poles and windows. Helen Zaas really had not really been such a great person. And of course there was no way not to get along with Natalie.   
  
She owed so much to them and still she already turned her back on them twice. She even had kept them in dark about the medallion and her feelings all these month. The angel thought it was because she did not want them to be worried about her, but maybe just because she feared they would not understand. Then again Dylan did not even understood herself.  
  
Why was it so hard for her to talk about her feelings or even think about them? She had spend so much time dwelling over loosing the Thin Man, thinking about him, wearing his medallion and not once she had admitted to herself the reason behind her behaviour. It was so obvious - she loved him. Was it so hard to accept because she did not knew why? Because for a change he did not appeared to be sweet at first and psychotic later?  
  
It was not quite the other way round either. There was nothing sweet about him being an assassin, driving a car over one of her friends. It did not seem to figure at all. That seemed so brutal and vicious. The angel still did not believed him to be like this. It was like he just did not understand why killing was so bad and if she made him understand, everything would be alright. As long as she was trapped here, there was nothing she could do.  
  
She wished she had paid more attention to the Tai-chi lessons, that way she would have something to do now. Pacing up and down, she eventually picked up the water bottle and took a sip now and then. It was terrible to have to wait that long for something to happen. How dreadful their old Bosley must have felt, being locked in that cell The bottle was almost empty as after a couple of hours the door opened again. 


	14. Discovering more facts

Here it is again an Anthony-less chapter, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless. Don't worry, he'll be back, he always will be ;-)  
  
Chapter 14: Discovering more facts  
  
Dylan put the bottle on the table and turned around to face Anthony once more. It was strange. Dylan's heart beat faster, but she was also afraid meeting him again. Her surprise could not have been greater as she saw Aurelie bursting through the door. Checking all corners very professionally for lurking enemies the black woman finally lowered the gun in her hand. Her eyes focused on the angel. A mixture of relief and anger was in her soft facial lines.  
  
Seeing the red head in that condition she became more worried. "Are you alright?" Reluctantly she put her gun away and looked around in the room.   
  
'Oh my god', Dylan thought, 'I must look absolutely horrid!' She could not quite explain Aurelie's presence here, but that was not so important to her at the moment. "I'm fine", she began, which was not true, but the angel had something else on her mind. "But never mind - how is Alex?"   
  
Aurelie seemed to have found what she was looking for. "The operation went very well", she replied walking behind the bed, "she woke up and it seems there is no sign of brain trauma." She squad and picked up the small thing that Dylan had mistaken for a clip. "Let's go now - Charlie told me to bring you back to the agency."  
  
Closing her eyes, Dylan felt a wave of gratitude and relief rushing over her. Alex was alive, what else mattered. Aurelie rushed out the door, observing the angel that walked next her. Despite the mess around her eyes the red head looked very happy. "I think I like to step by Alex first."  
  
The left the corridor and entered the stairs, walking down Aurelie snapped: "I don't think so, besides you could not talk to her anyway, even if the police gave you a few minutes."  
  
"Police? What do you mean?", Dylan asked and stopped for a moment, before she closed in again.  
  
Aurelie shook her head in disbelief. Half laughing she said: "Are you so naïve or did someone hit you on the head?" The black woman looked at the angels face. "You are wanted for kidnapping and conspiracy for murder. I frankly don't know how Charlie talked me into getting you. After all I think you are the leak and if you freaky boy friend kills the doctor - I'll have you for it as well."  
  
Dylan could not believe what she heard, both of them had stopped unconsciously. "That is ridiculous!", Dylan gasped. "I want to protect her as much as you do. Why would I send Anthony after her, I hate him for still wanting to kill her."   
  
The angel took deep breaths to keep from exploding, that was so silly. What made her think, that she was working with Anthony against the agency?   
  
"That's an interesting statement, so you admit the two of you are conspiring together", she looked with an ice-cold expression at the red head. "Tell me, how long this went on - I talked to Natalie, she said you identified the 'body' and talked everyone into covering up his crimes, how long Dylan?", Aurelie demanded twisting Dylan's hand off her arm.  
  
"He died, he really was dead", the angel almost cried back.  
  
"So what? Someone looking like him comes the way and you jump him?", the black woman sounded disgusted by the very idea.   
  
Dylan slapped her with so much power in the face that she span halfway round. Coming up in a fighting position Aurelie stopped as she saw that the angel was running down the stairs. A few seconds later she hurried after her. Holding onto a small brick wall Dylan stood outside staring at the graffiti painting on the next house wall. She was again crying, as the other woman came closer, the angel turned.  
  
"It is him, I know it sounds silly, but it is really him and I'm not working with him. He showed up as I was caught by the O'Grady's I had nothing to with their death!"  
  
Aurelie lost her appetite for battle, as she saw the angel so confused and lost. "I wish I could believe you", was her reply, still thinking that she hooked up with a look alike, but out of despair about loosing the original in the first place. "But the police has you on tape, sitting in Troy O'Grady's car holding a gun to his head and the nurse they took from the hospital and one of Seamus lackey's stated you ordered him to kill Seamus after he nearly killed everyone else in the room."  
  
"No, no", Dylan shook her head. "I asked him not too." She sighed as she saw that the black woman was not believing her. "Yes I saw red, but as I saw how helpless he was I knew I could not go through with it, but Anthony … he … he has his own views." Fighting of her tears she began: "I think it was him, that he …." She broke off, the angel could not tell Aurelie. The black woman would never understand.  
  
"Let's go", she said and turned so abruptly that her black hair cut the air almost like a whip. Dylan followed trying to explain to Aurelie that she only made this one mistake. "I made one mistake, but then I was out of control, he kidnapped me, he thought it would be safer for me. That's all - anyway how did you know where I was?"  
  
Opening the door to her car, she told her with bitter voice: "Stealing my gun - you also picked up my PST. The personal signal tracer every field agent in our organisation has."  
  
Dylan looked down ashamed. The gun was probably found at the crime scene, no wonder the other woman was so upset, she had all the reasons to be. As she looked up she saw her waving with the clip or more like the tracer between her thumb and index finger. The angel bit her tongue and opened the co-driver door. As the car left the depressing rather poor neighbourhood a deadly silence was over the car.  
  
"Charlie does not think I'm responsible for Seamus dead, does he?", Dylan asked after a while.   
  
"Let's say he does not want to believe it and wants to talk to you first - he is very disappointed", Aurelie told her. "He is convinced you and the assassin are not working together and somehow I agreed to go along with it. Besides my boss, is coming here to provide extra men power to protect Dr. Crushner and for now Natalie is taking care of her."  
  
It was amazing how open the other woman's emotions were to read. She seemed to have the outmost respect for Charlie and trusted his judgement, yet she seemed to disapprove of Dylan and Natalie. She said her name with such an undertone, that the red head wondered why Natalie was not sent. Probably she was only hurt by Dr. Crushner offering Nat to go on first names so early. "Why did you come instead of her?"  
  
"Because she hardly slept in the past 24 hours. She was dreadfully worried for Alex and you, even the light sedative the doctor gave her, did not help her sleep. So she is not in the best condition to drive around, I just hope nothing happens, because she is not really at her best. If your boyfriend decides to stop by …", Aurelie stopped as Dylan suddenly interrupted her. "Stop calling him that!", she yelled. "He is not my boyfriend!"  
  
Aurelie shrugged her shoulders slightly and rolled her eyes, then she drove on without saying a word. Gazing outside the window the angel's guilt slowly raised to the surface as her anger was disappearing. What had she done? She bet hearing of the accusations against her, her fellow angel was even more worried. She looked back, how was she now to sort out things with Anthony? They were most likely to meet in battle the next time.  
  
The closer they came to the agency, the uneasier Dylan felt. She was not afraid of a possible scolding. They were most likely to be utterly understanding, which made her feel even more guilty. To be wanted for such crimes, who terrible this must be for Charlie and the Agencies credibility. Worst she would certainly rely on his help to get out of these tangled webs she laid out for herself.  
  
"Get down", Aurelie suddenly yelled. "Civil patrol."  
  
Dylan dived under the window and kneeled half were her foot-space was supposed to be. The black woman used the gate opener and rolled on the parking lot behind the building. "There we are!"  
  
The angel took a deep breath and left the car. Then she walked on and reaching the hall of fame, she encountered Natalie who run into her hugging Dylan like she had feared not to see her again. "I'm so glad you are ok, but what is with your face?" She withdrew and run her fingers over the mascara covered cheeks of her friend.  
  
"Oh Nat I'm so sorry, I … don't know what to say", she looked down. Natalie was on bare foots. "You don't have to, I bet Aurelie told you that Alex made it. And about the kidnapping we'll talk when Charlie calls, I know you would not order anyone to kill Seamus! In the meantime we clean you up, okay?"  
  
Dylan nodded, she did not deserved to be cleaned up by Natalie, what she deserved was a good smack in the face like she had given Aurelie. The blonde angel needed to do something for her and she did not wanted to hurt her any further. So she followed obediently to the nearest hand basin. Where Natalie filled it with hot water. "You went berserk and he came to the rescue?", Nat asked while Dylan was rubbing her face with soap and water.  
  
"Yes, he did", the red head continued also her face was already cleaned up. The hot water felt so good. "Oh Dylan", her friend said and padded her on the back. "Ouch", Dylan rose up.   
  
"What is it?", Natalie asked worried.  
  
"I almost forgot about, at least I know where this dull pain all the time had come from", the red head sighed, with all that crying and her face hurting so much, she barely had felt her back. "That bastard from whom you took the rings hit me pretty badly…", Dylan explained. He certainly had paid for it.  
  
"Let's see", Nat said and crumbled her shirt up. "Oh damn - the last time you looked like that, had crashed into a subway station!"  
  
"It does not feel that bad", Dylan tried to calm her down. "Anyway I deserve it."  
  
"Silly girl, of course you don't", Nat scolded her and lowered the shirt.  
  
"I made the wrong assumption, Nat, it was not Seamus - it was Anthony!", she clung to the basin, her knuckles turning white. She stared in the dirty water. "I don't - I …"  
  
"Dylan, what are you talking about?", the blonde said surprised.  
  
"I'm talking about the Thin Man being the one that drove over Alex!", she said louder as she had wanted to.  
  
"What? How did you get that idea?", Nat turned her around. Dylan just looked in the most awkward confusion at her. "It was a woman, we have more than a dozen witnesses, that clearly described the same person behind the wheel. No Creepy Thin Man mentioned!"  
  
Then she stopped and asked seriously: "Wait a moment do you really think it is him? You can't be serious about that."  
  
That was too much at once. A woman? How did that fit into the picture? It was not him, that was the second time today she had the feeling off never having heard anything better in her whole life. Then she remembered the look on his face. "Oh Anthony", the angel said.   
  
"Dylan", Nat said realising how great the extend of her friends emotions for their favourite assassin must have been. "We will found out what is behind everything, you'll see - now let's go and talk to Charlie."  
  
They left the rest rooms encountering Aurelie, who was now dressed completely in black and heavily armed. "Are you going somewhere?", Nat asked her.  
  
"Well, someone has to welcome Bo… my associates and none of you is right now available, so I trust Dr. Crushner once more into your hands Natalie." Then she turned and walked down the corridor in direction of the rear exit.   
  
"She really believes I did it", Dylan said.   
  
"Don't feel bad she does not know you and she is very worried about Anna", the blonde angel went into the hall of fame and strode towards the office doors.  
  
"Is Bosley not here?", the red head said looking around.   
  
"No, he is with Alex and Max at the hospital, at least until six, then Jason and I take watch. He has taken it so much worse than any of us", she informed her.  
  
"I wish I could see her, is she conscious? Did you talk to her?", Dylan needed to know more. "Did you know how worse she is injured?" With Anthony not being responsible anymore, she felt she had the strength to face the whole extend of it all.  
  
"Well she has multiple fractures, both legs, a knee is real bad up, the ribcage good it, hairline fracture of the left shoulder, the right one dislocated, the arm broken. She can't talk because her chin also has a fracture", Nat sounded very unhappy about having to repeat it all. "The doctor said she had been really lucky, her skull itself could have fractured. Everything except for the knee will heal without any problem, they said."  
  
Seeing Dylan's shocked expression, she added: "It could have been her back as well, but no damage there. She needs rest, but before I left, they told me and Jason that Alex definitely will recover. She could not say anything, but she clearly showed that she was aware that we were with her."  
  
That was indeed good news, also it left the question about who did it. It seemed unlikely that Dr. Sattler herself would indulge in such assassination plans, after all she had hired her own killer, with an instant replacement guarantee. "Any idea who did it then and does Mr. Munday know about this?", she asked. Obviously her mind was working again.  
  
"No clue, we thought about Dr. Sattler, but the description does not match her and she has an alibi, and Alex' father is on the plane. He'll meet us at the hospital later."  
  
"How did he took it?"  
  
"Terrible, especially because he could not get a flight, everything was booked out, but Charlie made an arrangement. Jason's personal assistant is picking him up. You would not believe how nice she has been. I guess she is quite a fan herself. Too bad you did not met her, she arrived an hour after you left."  
  
"I still might, sounds like you guys did a lot of work in my absence", Dylan said and a bit of shame showed through her voice.  
  
"Well, at least you kept her hired hand busy", Natalie said smiling and added: "Besides, that is the greatest news on the case, that Sattler woman is here in L.A., that's why we thought of her. The day Aurelie arrived here she took a plane and at the very same time, Alex was attacked she checked into the Hilton Plaza."  
  
"You are kidding?" That moment the clock clicked onto 5 p.m and Nat pressed the button and Charlie's voice filled the air. "Hello Angels." 


	15. Conversations

Chapter 15: Conversations   
  
"Hi Charlie", Dylan said a bit nervously, Nat hold her hand firmly sounding much more confident than her. "I'm sorry, I did not think, I really feel stupid."  
  
"Well, Dylan, I can't say I'm not disappointed, but I never believe you would order someone to kill and I promise we sort things out", Charlie said and it cut Dylan right through the heart. He was so nice and had nothing on his mind, but to help her. Instead of shouting at her he only used those understanding kind words.   
  
"It is imperative for me to know what exactly happened", Charlie asked his angel. "Please begin with you leaving the hospital:"  
  
Dylan nodded and began to tell how she suddenly had the idea to use Troy to find his cousin Seamus. That she bumped then into Ian O'Grady without realising it. How she got hold of Troy and their little ride together. Thinking about it she realised that the Irish mobster probably had been right about that car following them. In great detail she described how she tied up Troy and it brought a big smile on Natalie's face.  
  
"He spent hours like this", Natalie told her. "The nurse called the police and an ambulance, they were so busy focusing on the house and discovered him by only by chance."  
  
"The nurse", Dylan spat, but had also a mild smile on her face. Troy really deserved it. On the other hand it might get her booked for enforcing bodily harm, among other things. So the red head went on telling them how she climbed up and overheard a bit of conversation between the nurse and Seamus. "I suspected as much", Charlie told her, "however she told the police she was forced to come along and this Ian you mentioned earlier, confirmed her story."  
  
"But Anthony stabbed him", Dylan said.   
  
Natalie nodded. "The nurse - which name is by the way Karen O'Reilly - saved him. He was about to bleed to death, but they fixed him up pretty good at the hospital. He gave his statement before the sun went up today."  
  
That was indeed bad news. The angel committed the kidnapping and had intended to kill him, at least until seeing him, how was any one to believe her she did not said: "Do it." Especially when the odds were to against one. If Ian really was nuts about her killing his boss and relative he might be crazy enough to go to prison for it, if he was able to take her with him.   
  
So her only hope was telling Charlie the rest of the story. How she saw her ex-lover and changed her mind. About her rescue and how she was beaten by Ian shortly before. The killing and her kidnapping. The only thing she did not mention were those almost kisses and how she was still attracted to the man that felt like so much like him. It did not matter that the other thought he was a double send to distract her.  
  
It must be him, it made no sense for Dr. Sattler and anyone working with her to create a game like this. She believed Anthony that he was ordered to stop her and the other angels. If it had not been him, any other killer had already finished her. Finally a logic explanation, but she kept it to herself anyway. "Then Aurelie showed up and here I am", she finished her explanations.  
  
"It does not look very promising, Angels, I already sent a lawyer on his way to meet you. After you set up your strategy with him, I recommend you turn yourself in. I'm confident I can get you out soon, but if indeed a trial comes up - It will be hard if we can't find evidence other than you statement, that they are lying. They made up a solid story", Charlie said a bit worried.  
  
Dylan sighed and run her fingers through her hair: "You think I might get sent to prison?" She sounded a bit frightened, after all a kidnapping was kidnapping and with those two conspiring against her, her odds were not so good.  
  
"I think we can avoid that, if we are going to avoid it", Charlie tried to ensure her. "So stay here, they already looked everything up. Take care, Angels."  
  
"You too, Charlie", the two of them said and then he hung up.  
  
The red head leaned to the other angel who wrapped an arm around her. "Don't worry Charlie will sort it out", Natalie tried to comfort her.  
  
"He shouldn't have to", Dylan said . "Are you going to see Alex soon?"  
  
Natalie looked at the watch: "Yeah, I guess I should be going in a few minutes. Pete decided to stay home with Spike, the poor puppy had already been to long without any of us."  
  
"Hasn't he that major test at the university going on soon?"  
  
Natalie smiled and told her friend again the date, how hard Pete was working to pass it. After meeting him at Corwin's place, they had thought he was nothing but a cute looking bar tender, that he had only worked there part time to finance his studies they hadn't discovered until Nat and he went out steady. "I really have to go now - take care", she said and squeezed her friend a moment tightly before she got up.   
  
Dylan accompanied her till they reached the door and asked her to say "hi" to anyone and how sorry she was, she could not be there. Then Natalie left and the remaining angel decided to check upon their client. She wondered what the doctor was thinking about all that which had happened. Did she also believe that she wanted to kill her or at least was willing to help Anthony in the matter? The angel had to find out.  
  
Carefully she knocked at the door to the room that was given to Dr. Crushner. "Come in."  
  
Dylan opened the door and took it as a good sign that the Doctor smiled. "Hi, wanted to see if everything was alright."  
  
In fact it seemed so, since the last time the red head had seen the woman she was thin and pale, frightened to death. Now she was much calmer and her cheeks seemed to have got a bit colour back.  
  
"I'm feeling much better", she sighed, "all that running around never feeling save anywhere. Coming here all that changed. I feel save here."  
  
Dylan raised an eyebrow: "Even with me around?"  
  
The doctor smiled more broadly. "Aurelie told me her suspicions, but I talked with Natalie about it …", she shrugged her shoulders. "Your friend knows you better than she I think, besides she is a little over protective and there is also… I don't know, but I think she took it pretty hard loosing her partner and the client on her first case. By the way - call me Anna."  
  
"I guess you talked with Natalie about many other things as well", Dylan said and felt her stomach growl.  
  
The doctor nodded: "I was not really open to talk before, but she broke right through the ice, she is such a nice girl. I guess she will be a wonderful mother."  
  
"I'm glad you feel better", the angel told her. "Are you hungry? I had not a bit for almost twenty-four hours, I guess with all the stress I failed to notice so far."  
  
Actually she had felt a strain in her belly, but it felt only naturally with all that she had to face.  
  
"Good idea, believe it or not I'm a great eater - I can eat as much as I like and don't get any weight on", Anna locked down. "But the other way round it seems to work."  
  
"I'm wondering", Dylan said leading the way out into the corridor. "Sometimes you speak with the strangest accent, then no trace left of it."  
  
"My mother never knew much English, I grew up bi-langual, more Romanian then English at first. You see my father got only a job as a truck driver - he was seldom at home and Mum well there is not really much work to find for former circus artist."  
  
"Circus artists - you're parents have been Romanian circus artists?", the angel interrupted her interested.  
  
"Yes, but they left years before I was born. Father wanted something better for my mother and me, he said keeping to ourselves and the old tradition in this new country full of opportunities was a real shame."  
  
Anna looked a bit sad: "I think it's a shame he never found out that I succeeded finally."  
  
"What happened?", Dylan asked worried opening the door to the agencies kitchen.  
  
Dr. Crushner walked over to the coffee machine. It was obvious that she was already familiar with the kitchen. "He got cancer and died about 28 years ago." She filled up the filter with the coffee powder and the compartment with water.  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that", the angel said looking for microwave dinners in the freezer. "And your mother?"  
  
"Oh, she took it pretty hard, she believed, that it was the fault of her grand-aunt", she told Dylan. "You know she was the seer - the head of the tribe and a woman that loved to have control over others. Mum had me walk around with sort of a talisman - father refused to do so."  
  
In the back the coffee machine started to make noises.   
  
"You believe in curses?", the angel said sensing that finally there was someone who might believe her about Anthony coming back from the dead. Holding a deluxe chicken-fricassee dinners in her hand. Apparently the good stuff was already gone.  
  
"I guess so", Anna said. "There are so many things in this world that can't be explained by science and seeing your own mother and how real her fear of those things was - I guess it leaves you open for such things."  
  
"Do you still have it?", Dylan asked. "By the way - we only have those and a package of hamburgers and of course French fries."  
  
"I go for the burgers and the fries", the doctor said. "And no, I don't have it anymore - one day mother came - I was about thirteen and told me that we were free."  
  
"Did she told you why?" the angel inquired as she put the dinner back and got the frozen fries and burgers out.  
  
"That was the strangest part - she told me that the threat had been burned away", she shrugged her shoulders. "She never liked to speak much about them anyway - said it was bad luck."  
  
Dylan gasped with open eyes and mouth as she heard that. Circus? Romanian? Burned? "Which year was that?", she finally asked.  
  
"1978, why? You know something about it?", Anna wondered and took the fries out of Dylan's hands.   
  
"Not really - I tell you when I know for sure, okay?", the angel had the strangest feeling. That was the year Anthony came to the orphanage. Could they be from the same tribe. Of course he would not know her, her parents must have been gone long before he was born. Anyway the doctor agreed and Dylan asked her more about her mother and how she ended up with Black Arrow. Secretly she wondered if it would have any influence upon Anthony's decision to go along with killing Anna.  
  
They were a bit later busy chewing the lot of burgers and fries they had made and it seemed the Doctor normally ate even more than the angel. Being at her number three Dylan stopped as she heard the sound of the door bell. "Wait here, if something happens - go out the left door and hide behind the next door on the right. It's lockable from the inside and hard to come by - call the police then."  
  
Then the angel left for the entrance hall and used the spy to see who was in front of the door. A well trained man in his fifties and a woman in her mid twenties, that looked very much like him. Both had the same tone of gold blond hair and bright blue eyes. She decided to open, since they really did not look like the sort of killers that were send out by this secret organisation.  
  
"Hello, you must be Ms. Saunders - the woman Aurelie is so worried about", the man smiled. "I'm Robert Norman, her boss, this is my new secretary and also my daughter. Claire Norman."  
  
He hold out his hand and Dylan took it and then the woman shook hands. Besides them on the ground were two large pilot suit cases. "Wow, she said someone was coming, but she did not mention it was you - by the way - where is she - she left to get you", Dylan said as she saw the taxi leaving.  
  
"Strange, I thought she was to stay with our client", Claire said and looked very disapproving.   
  
"She asked me and Natalie to take of Anna", the angel said, "but please do come in."  
  
"So Charlie finally convinced her that you could not be the leak", Robert said, putting the two cases down and helped his daughter out of her coat, before he lost his own. Then he walked like being here before over to the wardrobe and hung them up. "Don't look so surprised Dylan, Charlie and I are old colleagues."  
  
"You seen him?", Dylan said eyes sparkling with excitement.   
  
"Sure, but I doubt I recognise him today - the last time I saw him - that was before you were born. He'd become a very private person. I never knew much about him", he smiled and for some reason Dylan began to like him. No wonder Aurelie was so protective about her firm - they also had a very nice boss.   
  
"I'll take you to Dr. Crusher or should I show you the other guest room first?", the angel asked the two of them.  
  
"First the client then the comfort", Robert told her and picked up his luggage.   
  
"We were just eating a bit", Dylan explained and called out loud as they approached the kitchen. "Anna, it's alright - your bodyguards are here."  
  
The two of them already had eaten, so while Anna finished, they went on to their rooms and just as they meet in the social room to have a chat. Aurelie came back through the back door. A happy look on her face, something about it alarmed the angel instantly. "Oh, you are already here, I must have missed you."  
  
The falseness in her words was obvious to anyone.  
  
"Aurelie, you never were a good liar and we never agreed that you come to get us from the airport. So where have you been?", Robert Norman seemed a bit upset, but also worried. 'Like Charlie', Dylan thought and judging from the uneasy look on the black woman's face, what he thought about her, meant a great deal to her.  
  
"Okay, I went back to see if there was anything to find about the assassin or his organisation, but nothing", she explained and made a nervous chuckle.   
  
"Was that all?", Robert asked and it was like he could see right through her.  
  
The fact that Aurelie was torn between not to lie to her boss and not wanting to tell was obvious to anyone in the room. Yet the way the black woman looked at Dylan told the angel that she had met the Thin Man. "What did you do to him?", Dylan jumped up from the sofa.  
  
Aurelie frowned. Annoyed and with a mocking tone she said: "I killed your little assassin! I bet you would have preferred it the other way round, hmm?"   
  
Unbelieving the angel shook her head. She did not want to picture how this trigger-happy person shoot Anthony. 'Damn it,' the angel thought, 'how could this woman be so cold about it?' The others remained silent and were not sure how to reply to her statement. Except Dylan, she felt the growing urge to lunge at Aurelie to bet the shit out of her.   
  
Only knowing what letting her wrath out had achieved the last time helped her to turn away. She could not look in this beautiful face that bore an expression as if the angel was the evil doer here. 'I did not shoot someone', Dylan told herself. She fled out the door, down the hall, then left and down the stairs. As she stopped the angel saw that she was right in front of the back door.  
  
The red head felt that she need to know for sure. If he was shoot - no doubt about Aurelie using her guns - and if he was the very same Anthony - it could give her the answers she had been yearning for. Nonetheless she was afraid to find a dead body. Dylan was not sure whether she could bear the sight again. It was decided in a matter of seconds. She took Alex spare keys and her coat and headed to the parking lot.  
  
Luckily someone had brought it back here, hers was probably still in the underground garage or at the police impound. Forgotten was the warning to wait here and for the lawyer. The angel's mind was focused on Anthony. Would he come back once more. What if not? What if this had been a one time miracle? Then Dylan would never know whether she had deluded herself or if her feeling had told her the truth.   
  
Subconsciously she even avoided the civil patrol, by taking the other and longer way round. It was a bit complicated to find the way back. The angel had not paid much attention, to much trouble on her mind, she only recalled the general direction. Once the red head reached the neighbourhood, she had to drive to several streets until she recognised the graffiti painting on the opposite house.  
  
Leaving the car she rushed to the entrance and up the stairs. The door to the room where she had been hold was open. Slowly she crossed the distance and took a look. She gasped in shock and laughed relieved at the same time. There was a huge blood stain already dried on the carpet, but no body. In the wall behind where four holes and all very close together. The bullets removed from it. It seemed that Mademoiselle Barracuda was quite the assassin herself.  
  
Where was he now? Dylan's eyes fell upon the not pad that lay on the ground. 'Maybe he comes back here', she thought. Taking a deep breath she left a note. She ripped the sheet from it and took the pad itself with her. The angel wanted to re-read what he had written earlier. Heading down the stairs she looked whether he was lurking somewhere in the shadows, but he was not.   
  
As Dylan opened the door and stepped outside, she was shocked to see that she was suddenly in the middle of a huge crime scene. Police officers with pale faces walked around and then Detective Thompsen saw her. "Miss Sanders - finally you show up. Dare I ask what you were doing here?"  
  
"I- I got a tip that the person who is after our client was here", she sighed. "I needed to check it, I would have come round after that, I swear."  
  
He eyed her: "Well consider yourself arrested." He signalled to an officer. Dylan walked closer to him, curious what they were investigating and also to show that she was not running from them. Then she saw why everyone was so pale. There was a door to a cellar and on the outside of this door a woman was nailed against. Large iron bolts were stuck in her body through the door, her face stuck with terror. The angel turned around.   
  
"Sorry, you had to see this", he said and took her hand, "and sorry for this also." The young officer had given the Detective a pair of handcuffs, but just as he was to close it around her wrist, he saw the blue ring made from the earlier cuffing. "Where did you got this?"  
  
"It's a long story, but in fact I owe this to Ian O'Grady."  
  
Thompsen took a deep breath that seemed to say 'I knew it'. "Ok, Officer Grahmes, I think we can do for once with out the cuffs - please escort Ms. Saunders to the station." Then to her: "I'm sure things will work out, but then you should have been more careful with the cameras." 


	16. A way out

Had sort of a writer's block, but now I'm back with a new chapter, again having Anthony's POV.  
  
Chapter 16: A way out  
  
He stumbled down the stairs, he almost fell, but with each step that brought him further away his pace became steadier. Fleeing from the situation he could not bear. He hated himself for this weakness - for running. That was the part he had disliked about the Knox-assignment from the beginning. At least there had been purpose behind it.  
  
This served nothing, he simply had not been able to do what he meant to. He was ill-equipped to explain himself to a furious angel, unable to get his side across as his feelings tore him inside out. He mostly hated himself for those ridiculous and illogical emotions, like this anger toward Dylan. He had giver her every reason to believe he was capable of executing each and every one without hesitation. How could he hold it against her that she jumped to the wrong conclusion?  
  
Nothing was gained by that, he just needed to tell her - or more likely - to write down an explanation. Still he felt to shaken from the other impressions that had struck him. There was this emptiness in him, a black hole that seemed to swallow him, ever since she had pushed him away and gave him that look. Not unlike bleeding to death, but more enduring and thus much more painful. He had taken another stab through his heart any minute.   
  
He walked past several blocks before he leaned against a wall and drew out a cigarette. He had not really the appetite or the need for one, it was out of habit, as if focusing on inhaling the unhealthy stuff did make any difference. He still hurt and part of him was more afraid than ever to face the angel again. Another side of him wanted to run, to go where he never met her or any of his colleagues again. Another voice told him to go in there and make his point, regardless how disturbing the outcome might be.  
  
He began to look at the people. Before he only put them in categories of harmless or potential disturbance or even as a thread - like the angels after their first meeting. Now he found himself observed more accurately. An old woman, probably of Hispanic origin, overweighed carrying heavy shopping bags. The most dreadful thing about this appearance was not the battered clothing, the way she slightly limped or shuffled the other foot over the pavement. She had this expression of utter unhappiness on her face and he began to wonder were it came from.  
  
People passed him some taking a short look before turning from his cold stare other just hushed past without even nothing. Some looked happy others did not. How did they deal when fascinated with a certain person? Had they a better chance of dealing with the results than he? He always had felt that he was the wolf and they are the sheep, but right now he felt like an old, toothless lion surrounded by an army of rats. All of them seemed to carry on with their life, no matter how beaten down they appeared to be.  
  
They were able to adapt, to survive and he was stagnating and only alive because he was cursed, cursed to come back from the grave. He threw his cigarette down and stepped on the faintly glowing stump. That very moment a ball hit him and bounced back. He flung around and saw a grinning pale boy of fourteen that caught the basketball. Whether it was his reaction or not, he could not say. The boy turned followed by three other kids in various ages who gave him an admiring look.  
  
He had no idea what this was about, especially because withdrawing the kids spoke with an heavy accent, but they seemed to have done this on purpose. This place was definitely to overcrowded. Looking at the signs he realised that he had past almost ten blocks. From here it was not far to the city, he decided to take the next bus and stop by at the hospital. Maybe Dylan would be more eager to read out what he was going to write her, if he could tell her that her friend was alive and that he had been close enough to harm her. That should convince her that he had nothing to do with this attack.  
  
As the bus driver asked him where he was going to, he realised his notepad was gone. Nervously he looked around. "You need to tell me how far you are going", the driver repeated a bit louder than the second time. Instead of an answer he tipped again on the ten dollar bill he had laid before the driver.  
  
"Well, either you get out or I charge till the final station", the man said unhappy to him, but he nodded approvingly and finally he had his ticket and could pass. Maybe it would have been easier to get back to his car. With relief he entered half an hour later the hospital. He checked out intensive care and was nearly caught by Max who just came around the corner. Unseen he followed the boy who's face was full of grief.   
  
He carefully looked through he window in the door after the former orphan had entered a room. He and his new brother sat besides the Asian Angels bed. It was impossible not to feel sorry for the woman, one leg was bound high with metal sticks poked in, while the other one had a heavy plaster around it and rested on a pillow. Her head was also fixed and a plastered arm laid above the white blanket that covered her.  
  
The black man talked almost non-stop about the most trivial things. He wondered if that really helped one, but what would he knew about this. At least the woman was alive - he headed down to the hospital gift shop. He needed a new writing pad or at least something else to write on. There were a lot of colourful and cheery pens and little pads with equally childish design.  
  
He choose the least annoying one as he passed chart with lots of gift cards. He was drawn immediately to the elegance of those plain black and white ones, but those where all cards to express condolences. He browsed through a couple of that were under miscellaneous and decided finally for one that had large red roses and a short poem of Lessing* on the front.   
  
"Yesterday I loved,   
  
Today I hurt,   
  
tomorrow I die.   
  
Yet I like to think   
  
today and tomorrow   
  
about yesterday."  
  
Unsure why this card appealed to him, he laid all on the counter and got it packed in a small paper bag with the logo of the shop in front of it. He paid and left for a small café opposite the bus stop. He opened the pad and wrote down - coffee black. Then he held it out to the waitress that came to ask him for his order.  
  
He looked at the card, he had it all behind him in one day, but still he liked to remember it or more likely that kiss. 'One more time', he thought and sighed. How should he start. He wrote on the pad, a hundred starts and two hundreds words crossed out. This was taking time. Finally he felt up to writing it on the card, but then he decided against it, maybe there was a more suitable content for this card, a topic that was not so blue.  
  
He had explained her that he had seen the event, but had not been able to interfere, that he Alex seemed to be stable and in competent care. That he knew she did not approve, but he rather live with that, than watch her die. Of course there was more to say, but he just could not describe his feelings. He might have if he had felt any hope there were not rejected. He left another ten dollar bill and five extra for his three cups of coffee and left.  
  
Returning to his street side, he put the card inside his Venturi and walked towards the building he lived beneath. He considered going into his flat, but with the short walk from the bus stop he felt fresh and strong. He took the stairs and head for the safe apartment, where he had secured his angel. If he had not been so nervous he might have noticed that someone has tempered with the lock.  
  
He stepped into the room and the moment he turned towards his guest he heard the sound of a bullet fired through a silencer. He just had enough time to open his eyes wide, then the small piece of metal tore through his chest. He heard the next shot that came from the gun in the hand of the black woman that stood where the angel had been as he had entered before. Her sweet face was a mask that showed no sign of emotion except contempt. It was the last thing before the world went black once more.  
  
He was sure of one thing he would never get used to dying. Maybe this state, being helpless and disconnected from all that could distract him from his inner self, was hell. He only spent weeks in it, what a horror must it be to remain here for all eternity. After he got used to being trapped inside his mind, he felt a horrible thought climbing to the surface. Was that woman his replacement? That probably meant his angel was already dead. They could not be informed so fast about his intentions.   
  
Or could have been the fact that he rescued her from the O'Grady's, but nobody would know that it was him. He cursed at him self. He had left a witness, her passing out has given him a reason to act unprofessionally. Yet it seemed unlikely that the information would leek out so swiftly to his employer. He only hoped he would awaken sooner than the last time. Considering the fast recovery after his fall from the bridge and what his body had suffered according to his autopsy and later the preparation for the funeral, he hoped to be back in a matter of hours.  
  
At least it seemed unlikely that this woman would call the police. He was right. He woke up as he had fallen. Blood was in the carpet and in his suit. The thin, white stripes had an ugly brown colour, but his body was completely healed and more important no sign of Dylan or her blood. Still it meant she must have escaped before the black woman came here. He could not imagine that the angel kept such company.  
  
He would find her, but first he had to get cleaned up and put on a new suit. He walked down the stairs. Her entering this conflict worried him, but as much as he was concerned by her skill, he simply had to admire it. No long talk, just getting the job done and then going on. He used to work that way, too. He gasped in shock as he saw his front door. Who would murder his contact in such a monstrous fashion?   
  
The woman must have suffered terribly, but it could only mean that there was already someone send to succeed him. He stepped closer. Her body was still warm. He ran up to the street looked around, but it seemed that no one had seen anything or if he had he just hurried on. An old man saw him in his ragged, bloody suit. He knew he had not much time left, before the police would come around.  
  
He carefully opened the door and rushed into his apartment. Someone had examined his belongings. It did not matter right now. Taking out the pad with his carefully written message, he saw it was all ruined due to the blood. He opened the oven and tossed it inside. Then he began to tore his jacket and shirt from his chest and stuffed it in the fire which instantly burned higher. He closed the latch and went to the bath room.  
  
Where he cleaned himself from the stains of blood that were on his chest and back. His trousers seemed to have been soaked a bit also, but he had no time for a change. He just got a new white shirt and put on his black leather coat. A suitcase was quickly filled with a couple of suits, underwear, socks and a few other outfits and smaller weapons . He grabbed his spare canes and left the place that had been his hideout for several years.  
  
He put both in the back and just as he drove off the police drove down the street. That was just in time he thought. He looked at the place in the mirror. He would get his replacement and kill him. It was unprofessional and unnecessary to murder that poor woman. She had no idea what she was telling him to do. She was a messenger nothing more. He had liked her, he realised. She was part of his world and yet she belonged still to those who lead a normal life far away from death.  
  
Another thought that worried him was what this butcher might do to his angel. He went right down to the agency, it seemed quite her, nobody was observing the house. He checked the cars in the back, only one car was on the lot and it had a Washington D.C. plate on it. He had seen this before, but he was not sure where. The angels were obviously not here, where would they go?  
  
The answer was obvious, but he needed to few seconds before he got there. Naturally Dylan would check on Alex, so he drove off to the hospital. He was looking for a free parking space as he saw the blonde angel and Max hurrying down the stairs that lead to this parking lot. He quickly pulled the car into the next place - which was actually reserved for disabled people. The woman was too busy getting her keys out of her handkerchief filled bag, their car was so close to his, he almost did not dare to let the window down.  
  
"Calm down", Max said. "Or you never find it."  
  
"Yes", Natalie replied. "I'm just nervous and worried. Dylan is really not herself. That whole Thin Man business hit her pretty hard and than the attack on Alex. Well, I should probably be glad that she is locked up for now", she sighed and pulled out the key. They both got in her car and the last bit of conversation he heard was Max saying. "I just hope they let her out - with those charges - I mean hiring a killer …"  
  
Dylan hiring a killer, that was ridiculous. He frowned - did she sent the black woman after him? He shook his head, she would never. There was only one way to find out what was behind all this. He followed the two of them who where heading right to the Police Station. He parked a street ahead and saw the two entering the last place in the world where he should show his head right now.  
  
With growing impatience he waited more than half an hour as the two came back. He used the shadows to get near them. Fortunately they left alongside the building and not for the open space in front of it.   
  
"That is really hard stuff, Mom, will never let me or Bosley near you when she hears with what kinds of psychos you are working", Max told her. The blond angel was not replying, her left hand firmly pressed on her belly. The boy continued: "But it is scary, I mean, it seems he really comes back from the dead quite often. Well, we better keep that to our selves or Aurelie goes right after him once more. ---- Natalie?"  
  
The woman clutched Max arm with her right hand and turned to vomit into the bushes that had been planted to enrich the buildings front. Max helped her up and guided her to a bench that stood nearby.   
  
"Sorry Max, this pregnancy thing is", she moaned. "I could deal with morning sickness, but right now I have brunch-, midday-, afternoon-, evening- and night-sickness also. But I guess that passes. Funny thing - you know when I told Charlie that I am going to quit, he told me that a friend of his had a really talented young girl on his hand …"  
  
"Aurelie?", Max said surprised.  
  
"Yeah, he thought that I could work her in, a soon as her new case was solved - you know this case. What ever reasons she had, nobody who puts four bullets to someone's heart is fit to be an angel."  
  
"That's not all you are upset about", Max said as Natalie paused a moment.  
  
"Dylan has already a hard time and she did not only committed a cold blooded murder, she hurt Dylan and brought her in this situation. It would have already been tough, but now her lawyer has to explain why she did not turned herself in, if she is as innocent as she claims. Plus she really believes that it is Anthony and not some doppelganger. I'm still not saying it is him, but she so desperately wants to believe it."  
  
The angel shook her head and bent over the bench as a result and decorated the next bush with the remainders in her stomach. "Damn it", she said sadly. "The whole agency is falling apart. Charlie's reputation already suffered and if we are giving the police all facts, Dr. Crushner's chances are even lower and loosing the case - it only make things worse. Than this other murder, the woman that nearly killed Alex - The Thin Man. I honestly don't know where I should look."  
  
Max said trying to sound more grown up: "You know I have an idea. Why don't you get me a room at the Hilton Plaza, I could keep an eye on Dr. Sattler. See who she meets - she does not know about me."  
  
"Out of the question, we don't know how much she knows - how far her contacts reach - she already has the plans of the office!", Nat replied.  
  
"But Dylan said, if we stop her, we might stop her whatever killers she sent our way."  
  
"No, the answer is no", Natalie said and rose. "I better get you home."   
  
Max got up a disappointed look on his face. He nodded, the angels still took care of him. He backed off and left the blonde girl alone, who wanted nothing more than to take Pete in her arms, cuddle with Spike and spend the night a heating blanket under her sheets. In this state she was not of any value. "Tomorrow we get Dylan out and then we take care of that Sattler-woman", he heard her saying before he had left their earshot.  
  
That was it, that was his way out. He made it back to his car and drove off to pay a visit to his former employer. She might not know who was on the pay roll right now, but she would not call another replacement in - that was sure. All that was then left to do was putting his successor out of the game.  
  
* My own translation of the poem by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, here the original: "Gestern liebt' ich, Heute leid' ich, Morgen sterb' ich. Dennoch denk' ich, heut' und morgen, gern an gestern." - I know it is unlikely they do have it on a card in an American hospital, but it's not impossible and I do not know much poetry in English or German. 


	17. Suspecting and being suspected

Chapter 17: Suspecting and being suspected  
  
It has been a long time since Dylan had seen the insides of a cell, only this time she felt no triumph. In her wild years as Helen, it was always exciting: crossing the line, being disobedient. She always got away, but this time she really was in trouble and the fear that she might seen these bars for the next years of her life made her skin crawl.  
  
It has been good to see Natalie and Max, she told them what she had found, but it only increased the mystery. Dylan's head was buzzing heavy and she just could not figure this case out. She had no suspects, than Alex was almost killed, and this whole Anthony business was really freaking her out. Not to mention this other murder which seemed like the car assault not to be related at all to their case.  
  
The angel paced up and down in her cell. She could not sleep, but she felt tired, more mentally than physically. By the time the lights were turned off, she lay on her back, her feet high against the bars listening to the others. It was depressing, but finally she drifted into a light sleep. Only to get waken by two uniforms that brought in a late night arrest. Dylan put her feet down and squared on her bench. This was going to be a long light judging from the racket the newly arrested girl made.  
  
It woke up anybody else. After the light was put out again, the shouting and hissing continued until everyone got bored by it. The angel sighed. Where was this going to end? She changed her position folding her legs and leaning against the wall. The red head thought how this all had begun. Another break-in, that nearly got Alex caught and gave her the surprise of her life. They still had no clue how they knew they were coming.  
  
Dylan told herself to think about what she knew. Fact was that none of the angels would have given away the information. Neither would Bosley or Charlie, who else knew? Anna, the target, who was most unlikely to give that away. Aurelie, who was very eager to point at the Agency and her. I told my boss, but her boss seemed to have very little control about her. Could they all have been so wrong about her?  
  
She really seemed to want to protect Dr. Crushner, her trust in Charlie seemed to be strong and was most likely the result from Robert trusting his old friend. Dylan would not point at her just because she was mad at her now. Still the angel had to think about those four perfectly set holes in the wall and those big guns of hers. It reminded her of Madison, the former angel was also big on huge guns.   
  
It did not fit together, she was not good at first impression, the red headed angel was good at jumping to wrong conclusions. Natalie and Anna liked her also, describing her as almost a bit too fanatic about her job. They could not be wrong all together about that. How was it possible that Aurelie was setting them up? What if she was not actually pointing her finger as Dylan, but really thought that the angel was in league with the assassin?  
  
Where was he now, she hoped Anthony was not thinking she left Aurelie there on purpose. He must have been pretty surprised to see a black woman there instead of her pale appearance. Did he even had time to react. Did she just shoot him, as coldly as she confessed it? That was almost scary, a woman so passionate, that suddenly made everyone around her getting the shivers. With the power of sudden recognition she jumped up. In a comic a bright light bulb would have appeared over her head.  
  
Aurelie really believed that those killer organisation was hired and considering that Anthony mentioned a successor to this job if he backed out, it must be the truth. Killing one assassin meant another was sent and if Aurelie killed enough, she would come again face to face with the one that killed her partner. It seemed to explain everything. The hateful look in her eyes thinking that she was teaming with Anthony, the over-protectiveness and the leak of information.   
  
Had she not said that she was surprised how fast they found them again and again? Also Aurelie brought them on her track she was obviously not so reckless that she did not cared over their client and since she knew so well that they were in danger, she was always tense and on the look out. That was crazy, but people on revenge were always a little bit mad - especially those involved with cases of the Townsend Agency.  
  
"Yeah", Dylan said loud. She was sure that this must be it, for it made perfect sense to the Angel. Obviously there was a good reason after all for Charlie choosing her, she just had to think first and act later. Luckily she still had her phone call. Since she had woken up everybody that had been asleep by now, she called loudly for the guard. Steps came into the cell tract and a light from a strong torch wandered through the corridors and hit her face.  
  
"Just keep it quiet - will ya?", an annoyed police woman with a yellow chewing gum told her.   
  
"I'd like to make my phone call", Dylan said with a calm voice, she did not want to upset the guard further.  
  
She got only a weak laughter. "Now, just because I was not here when you were arrested, that does not mean I'm foolish enough to believe you did not already make it. Your lawyer was here, I saw you with him, you had your call." The uniformed woman went away.  
  
Dylan frowned in disbelief: "He was already on his way, I had not even the chance to grab the phone, so fast he arrived here! Heh."  
  
The woman went on, telling her that she should shut up and wait till morning, since protesting only caused the other cell inhabitants to yell at her, the angel remained silent. Maybe it had time, for Aurelie was most certainly carefully watched, since she told the others what she did to Anthony. Natalie might even come to the same conclusion. So the angel tried to get some sleep and eventually succeeded - very late during the night.  
  
Dylan passed breakfast in the morning and yearned for ten o'clock, when the hearing for her bail, was scheduled. It was long before then, as Natalie rushed into the station, pale as only a pregnant woman could be that had been forced up too early in the morning. Luckily Detective Thompsen let her see Dylan. In a separated room they sat on a table and familiar locking police officer stood beside them.  
  
"What is it?", Dylan said worried and added frowning. "You look - awful."  
  
"I got up early", Natalie replied, she did not wanted her friend to know what was really going on and hopefully this state would pass soon. She run her hand about her still flat stomach. She could not wait to actually feel the new life she was creating moving in there.  
  
"Dylan, Dr. Sattler was killed in her hotel suite, with a rapier. No trace, no pictures on any of the security cameras - obviously a professional hit."  
  
Then she turned over to Japanese: "It looks like Anthony, did you talk about her?"  
  
The police officer looked very displeased and watched them with great concern. The moment he put his hand on his weapon Nat realised where she had seen the guy before. It was the police officer at the Alan Caulfield crime scene.  
  
The red head shook her head: "I did not had the chance. All I did was telling him … and not that specific, that I did not wanted him to kill Anna."  
  
"I am beginning to get the feeling it is really him and that he wants to help you. The police did not knew we were suspecting her, but they found an address-book with a lot of interesting phone-numbers."  
  
Dylan smiled, so that was what Nat had done in the morning, hacking into the police database. "Do they prove Anna's story?"  
  
Nat nodded: "I think so…"  
  
"Heh, would you stop that", the nervous looking police officer told them.  
  
"Do we make you nervous?", Dylan said again in English.   
  
"Don't I know you?", he asked seeing her face as she turned to him.   
  
Natalie tipped her with her boots and taking a closer look the red headed angel also remembered the officer. "No, I'm just here by accident." He might be cute, but very annoying at this moment, so she just ignored him. Turning to Nat she said: "I think you might wanna have a closer look at our barracuda - it could be rotten."  
  
The blonde angel frowned: "You think so?"  
  
Dylan nodded: "Don't say anything yet, I'd like to investigate myself in that matter."  
  
"Ok, I see whether I can find out more, about those numbers", Nat rose up. "We talk later - alone!"   
  
Then she gave one of her dazzling smiles at the officer, who stood there like an idiot, and head for the door. She winked at her friend and left.  
  
The red head spent another ninety minutes in her cell, before Hamilton Templar, her lawyer appeared and they headed towards the bail hearing. The judge was a very unkind man and Dylan felt very uneasy as the bail was set. Almost like she was a real criminal. They could not really mean to put half a million dollar on her. It was nothing to Charles Townsend, but it was a deep cut for the credibility of the agency.   
  
Natalie had waited for her in the hall and together they went to the hospital, but since time was short the angel used the opportunity to fill her in on what had happened in the meantime.  
  
"As I returned to the database to see whether the all numbers had been filed, I had a huge CIA security block on the area", the blonde sounded totally excited about that. "If they are on it, it must mean that they found leads that Dr. Sattler has indeed made contacts to sell her stuff."  
  
"So if Dr. Crushner comes in, they might get an official warrant to search directly in the facilities", Dylan followed her partner.  
  
"As soon as we informed them about that. Charlie called me and said he put his word out that there is a witness and once we are sure that they are looking for the same thing", Nat said a bit uneasy.  
  
"You think, if Anthony is indeed her killer, they might think I ordered this killing as well, if they get the connection", the red head sighed. "This might not be our only problem. If Aurelie is really the mole, there might already been an other guy on Anna's track. Think of it, by killing Anthony, Dr. Sattler was in need of another killer. He might already be on the look out."  
  
Natalie shook her head: "I can't imagine Aurelie would do this, she wants to protect Anna, she is really concerned about her."  
  
"Maybe there is a good reason for her concern", Dylan shrugged. "After his I go and check on something, but doesn't it seem strange, that the assassins are so hot on her track? No matter how quickly she got rid of them?"  
  
"You think she informs Dr. Sattler secretly and hopes she got more assassins on her track, so she can kill them?", Natalie said a bit confused.  
  
"Don't you remember, she told us her partner got killed by one of them - I bet she hopes that that guy makes an appearance", she shrugged. "All I need is a bit background data. Like when the other killers appeared and how she got rid of them. We need this solved before we can let Anna make contact with the CIA."  
  
"I hate to say it, but you might have a point", Natalie said remembering how often the people she had trusted were actually stabbing them in the back. She was good at making people opening up to her or get them into conversations, but she seemed to lack the ability to see what is behind their daily masks. Like with Madison - Natalie had adored her and then she turned out to be the most psychotic angel ever. "As you mentioned it before, I tried to talk to her, but she was quite unapproachable. She said she did the world a favour and that I is not right that everyone is treating her like a criminal."  
  
"I'm sure you did your best", Dylan tried to settle her down, the blonde angel smiled and pulled left onto the parking lot of the hospital.  
  
"You know we could use the internet café on the first floor, next to the gift shop", Nat said stopping the car.  
  
"Good idea", Dylan said feeling suddenly very strange seeing the hospital and thinking of a plastered, helpless Alex lying in one of these dreadful white beds. "I hope she gets better soon."  
  
"We all do, I guess Alex would be plain thankful if she could talk again", Natalie told her. "Right now she is writing down, but it she can't do it that often - and it is dreadful to read - she has to use her wrong hand."  
  
Dylan opened her door. She remembered her injuries quite well, also it had not to do anything with her, for neither Seamus or Anthony had been involved she still felt guilty about it. It was like they were always there for her, but when they needed her, she was somewhere else.  
  
Silently Dylan let Nat lead the way to Alex room. As the red head say her fellow angel it was every bit as bad as she had pictured it. But then she saw Alex eyes lightening up as she saw them. "Hi, Alex - I'm sorry I had not the chance to visit you sooner - Hi, Mr. Munday."  
  
"Dylan, Natalie, so nice to visit again or well…", Alex father stopped in mid-speech.  
  
They sat down by her bed and told her about the turn in the case and that they most likely had the chance to focus on the woman behind the wheel very soon. Then the Asian Angel signalled for the writing block and with an indeed hard to read claw she began to write a message. "My toe itches. The large - left."  
  
Dylan laughed as she read it: "I'm right on it. Be glad it is not you leg, that be a problem."  
  
"That itches, too", Alex wrote, but added a smile that looked rather strange with the crinkled lines. "So good to see you - they would not tell me what you did." The pencil fell out of her grasp, but nonetheless Dylan began to explain her about going after Seamus and ending up with the Thin Man. She only left out that the police that she was in league with Anthony.  
  
Then a doctor came to check on Alex, they wanted to take a closer look on her knee, so Dylan and Nat said goodbye to Alex and her father, who insisted to stay and wait for Jason, who was overdue taking his place beside her.  
  
"Oh my, I had no idea it was this worse", Dylan said sadly.   
  
"What do you mean?", Nat said surprised, the doctor said she will be alright.  
  
"Physically - maybe, but I saw it in her eyes, she looked so scared, she tried to hide it, but I know that look."  
  
"You think she is sort of traumatised?", now the blonde angel was really worried.  
  
Dylan shrugged her shoulders: "I'm not the expert, but … thinking that a car drove over her - on purpose, nearly breaking every bone in her body - who wouldn't? You now let's go to work, I don't want to think about it now."  
  
"Good idea", Nat agreed.  
  
They got each a terminal in the café and started to browse the search engines for newspaper reports on the incidents when Aurelie had killed the assassins. Both looked from time to time at each other, as if checking for the other to be there, but the worked silently. At least until Natalie found an article.  
  
"Dylan, I got one", she looked through it. "Oh oh, Shoot with deadly force - the attacker was maimed with a large calibre one shot in the head one in the heart - it rants on about too aggressive police behaviour, but it was without a doubt Aurelie. Also her identity was kept secret, but the description and time…"  
  
"Print it out, we need to confront her with it", Dylan said. "Let's see if we can find more on the other one, he wait, Max is contacting me …" She was about to say something about how practical pre-installed messengers were, but then she gasped in shock as she read what he had written.  
  
"Dylan what is it?" Natalie wanted to know. 


	18. Complications

A/N: Hi, I felt the unexpected urge to write and so I finished the next chapter ... I hope you enjoy, there is a bit Anthony/Dylan at the end.  
  
Chapter 18: Complications   
  
Looking from Nat to the screen and back, she decided to open the web-site that contained the full article that Max had summarised in one sentence for her. As it had opened she read: "Jason Gibbons kidnapped. The famous star of Maximum Extreme I and II has been abducted from his home in Beverly Hills. So far there has been no ransom note, but his personal assistant - Sabine Dawson - was knocked out with a club from behind."  
  
Dylan stopped: "Why? And why now?" They had been on a lot of difficult assignments, but now it seemed they were on three different cases, but obviously one angel short.  
  
Nat had listened and walked around to Dylan station and read the rest of the article, gently massaging her friend's shoulder. It comforted both a bit, to feel that they still had each other. Right now they were both emotional walking on raw flesh. "Why would anyone kidnap Jason?", Natalie said finally. She was pale and she felt like it. "Alex can't pay any ransom and he has no relatives that could gain access on his riches", the blonde angel suddenly tightened her grip on Dylan's shoulders. Then she let out a flat - Excuse me - and headed away from the computers.  
  
The red headed angel raised from her chair pressing the print button. Three seconds later she followed Nat, who headed straight into the restroom and threw up into the first free toilet. Dylan was short behind her and asked worried: "Nat are you OK?"  
  
After the blonde angel stopped she said, still a bit taken: "I'll be in a couple of minutes."  
  
"No problem, but are you sure everything is going to be alright?", the other angel was quite concerned.  
  
"Yeah, it's just - my stomach can't handle stress right now or at least not well", she got up slowly and walked to the basins. "Oh Dylan - what are we going to do? We must find Jason, Alex needs him and we need to clear the coast for Anna. Not to mention finding that psycho bitch that nearly killed Alex." She poured water on her face and flushed her mouth with it.  
  
The other angel sighed silently, Natalie did not looked that good, but then she knew that pregnancy had those side-effects and if her friend said it would be alright, it meant she could handle it. So she decided to concentrate on the current issues.  
  
"I don't know, I mean so far Anna is safe, I hope that Anthony might contact me again - I left a note, so maybe we should pay attention to Jason's case?"  
  
"Maybe", Natalie said thinking a moment while she got a tictac out of her hand bag. "or maybe we should split up. You go and confront Aurelie, talk to her boss and talked to Claire. She had checked in the Hilton Plaza to watch Dr. Sattler, maybe she saw someone or even Anthony lurking near her room. I go and check on Sabine and look around at the scene of crime."  
  
"I don't think this is a good idea", Dylan did not like the idea and searched for a reason to stay together. "What if … what if the kidnapping of Jason has to do with the case - to lure us from the right trail. Aurelie knows about us, doesn't she?"  
  
"I suppose so", Nat thought. "Pete!" She got her cell and tipped in his number as fast as she could. He had turned of his handy and she only got the voice box. "Pete, get Spike and go to the Bosley's, don't worry, just a precaution. I love you."  
  
Nat pocket her cell phone and looked seriously at Dylan: "Maybe we still should handle things as fast as possible, we just have to be careful."  
  
"I don't feel like splitting up, it makes me nervous and besides, we need to figure this out and we are better as a team", Dylan said thinking more that she was no good without a team to back her up. "Oh and I need a new cell phone - Anthony took mine, heh wait, call me…"  
  
"You think he'll answer?", Nat looked doubtful, but dialled nonetheless. Then she shook her head. "Sorry Dylan nothing, it's gone from the net, maybe the batteries, maybe he turned it off …"  
  
"Text it, if it goes on again and he has it, maybe …" Dylan thought. Natalie smiled and gave her the phone: "Better you do it yourself."  
  
The red head typed on the display with nervous fingers: "Anthony please contact me asp, I really need to talk." She felt a bit stupid, but then it was the truth and she hoped if he got one of her messages he also wanted to talk or listen. After all he started it, and it was her fault that it turned out so badly.  
  
Her return to the agency was overshadowed by Jason's kidnapping, but it did not stop Bosley to hug her and tell her how happy he was that she was out of jail. Still Dylan sensed that there was something else, that bothered their Bosley. "What is it?", she asked, but before he could answer, Claire gave it to her. "Aurelie left us - I don't want to know what she is doing right now - luckily Dr. Crushner is still alright."  
  
Bosley added: "She left a note - she wanted to handle things her way."  
  
The daughter of Aurelie's boss rose from the sofa and greeted them as well. It was impossible not to notice, that she was quite mad at Aurelie. It almost sounded like she thought Aurelie would actually harm their client. Natalie caught her on that and asked what she thought got into Aurelie.   
  
"You probably should ask my father, he only mentioned that she had problems, but she never talked to anyone else about it", Claire admitted angrily. "I think it is just plain unfair, after all Dad did for her."  
  
"So they were close?", Dylan asked.  
  
The gold blonde woman scoffed: "Too close, if you asked me." Then she sat back on the sofa and made the impression that she did not wanted to go deeper into the topic. The angels sat down on their sofa and Bosley made himself comfortable next to their guest.  
  
"So Angels, what are you going to do now?", Jimmy said having this hopeful look that the girls already knew what to do.  
  
"Well, we need to know whether Anna is now save from any killers and what the CIA is investigating, then we're also talk to Jason's associate and see what she can remember", Dylan told him and hoped their plan sounded better than it was.  
  
"Claire, you were at the Plaza, when Dr. Sattler was killed", Natalie began. "Have you seen anyone unusual lurking around her room?"  
  
Claire frowned: "Someone unusual? I think I would have reported this by now."   
  
"Maybe you just saw him briefly and did not really paid attention?", Dylan suggested anxiously.  
  
"Him?", Miss Norman said a bit confused. "You know who killed Dr. Sattler?"  
  
"We suspect", Natalie explained.  
  
"I thought Aurelie killed him?" Bosley asked surprised or you mean somebody else.  
  
"Ahm", Dylan interrupted, "just think - he is tall, about 6 feet, but he might not seem that tall from distance, because he is very thin, he is very pale and has this odd haircut. He has those milk-blue haunting eyes and most likely he was smoking." Dylan smiled unconsciously as she got the image of Anthony lurking in a dark hall way, cigarette in hand watching the corridor. "He probably wore an old-fashioned suit."  
  
She stopped as she realised that everyone was staring at her. Especially Bosley seemed very confused. Dylan made a note to tell him, when they were alone about Anthony and her suspicions due to his obvious miraculous resurrections. But then Claire Norman got a grip on her self and a bit arrogant she replied: "No, I don't saw anyone like that and I doubted that anyone would smoke their, they got smoke detectors in every room and on the floor - very sensitive those things."  
  
"Yeah right", Dylan said feeling a bit stupid about her ranting on like that, but just because she had not seen him, it did not meant he had not been there. Actually the thought that he was behind this did not bothered her that much. Maybe because his victim this time was a much worse killer than he could ever be.   
  
"What actually did you do at the Hotel?", Bosley asked suddenly.  
  
"I was observing Dr. Sattler's activities", she answered sharply.   
  
"How comes that you have not seen her killer?", Natalie wondered.   
  
Claire jumped from the sofa: "Don't start it, she went to sleep - I went to sleep, how was I to know that some psycho would attack her while she slept?" Then she rushed out of the room. If the general situation had not been that terrible the three might have laughed, about the silly outburst of hers.   
  
"Mr. Norman's girls seem a bit stressed, don't they", Bosley said and managed to get a smile out of the two angels.  
  
"Not everyone can have angels working for them …", Robert Norman suddenly said. He had entered the office before the door pushed open by his daughter has closed again. He was obviously not offended and came to sit down with them. "Sorry to hear about your colleagues boy-friend. Do you think the kidnapping is related to this case?"  
  
"We honestly don't have a clue", Natalie said. "Since we can't confront Aurelie now, we might as well go on talk to Sabine."  
  
"What do you wanted to confront her about", Robert said concerned.   
  
"This", the red head handed him the print-outs from the internet-café. He took a look at it.   
  
"You think she killed the others before this guy, also deliberately?" It was obvious that the man was not very happy about the situation. "She mentioned something about her partner being killed by someone who worked for this organisation, that obviously had been hired this time by our late doctor", Dylan began to explain her theory.  
  
Robert made a noise that was somewhere between a cough and a laughter. "Her partner?", he shook his head. "She might not like it, but I guess I should explain more about this. Aurelie does not like anyone knowing what troubles her, she always keep her private life out of business, but …"  
  
Everyone was listen silently and finally Mr. Norman went on. "It was some about five years ago, she was twenty, had just started working for me. You see that partner she mentioned was Henry Barracuda - her husband. Oh he was twice as old as she and a very good friend of mine, so I naturally assigned Henry as her trainer. They were escorting a client to a save house, when they were hit. Henry was killed and Aurelie was naturally taking it very hard. I tried to take care of her, but to add to the disaster, it turned out that she had been pregnant, but with all the medicaments she took in the first week against her depressions, she lost the baby. It took her two years to recover and also she is sometimes very sad, she seemed to be capable of handling the job, I felt that she needed to do this, that it helped her, I never thought that she might be .." He stopped and rubbed with both palms over his face. "I could use something to drink."  
  
"Oh, man, the poor girl", Bosley said, but got up to fetch something, he felt he could use as well.  
  
"Well, that's horrible, but unfortunately - it makes her even more suspicious", Dylan said. The Angel wished that things would be different. She had been mad at her for shooting Anthony, but she had experienced the same rage, as she went after Seamus and by that time she had not even been sure what would become of Alex.  
  
Nat was also very silent, before she said with a calm voice: "I still don't think she would endanger Anna."  
  
"I'd like to believe that, too", Robert said.   
  
It was just as Bosley returned with a bottle of whiskey and two glasses, as Natalie's cell phone started to vibrate in her pocket. "I got a message!", she said and removed it. "Oh I think it is for you, Dylan!"  
  
Nat gave the phone to her fellow angel. The text read: "Meet me in one hour at your place."  
  
"That came from my cell!", she said. Within seconds she had entered her number, but her phone was obviously turned off once more. "Nat, I guess I should take that chance."  
  
"Shall I come with you?", her friend offered.  
  
"No, he might not come out if you are with me - I mean that is between us", the red head decided.  
  
"From whom was the message?", Bosley wanted to know, after finishing the very short whiskey he had poured into his glass. Robert had wanted a bit more and was still drinking, but very slowly. He had a curious eye on the situation.  
  
"Anthony", she said.  
  
Robert started to cough violently as he got the whiskey in the wrong throat. "The guy, Aurelie shoot?", he finally asked.  
  
"Yes, him", Dylan said and smiled at the absurdity of that answer. "It's a difficult story - difficult to believe - I tell you later."  
  
With that she rose from the sofa. "Look, I call you, so you know I am alright", Dylan said and hurried out of the room. It was already late and it was near dusk, in one hour it would be dark. She wanted to be there on time. 'Girl you might even have the chance to get a shower and put something on you did not slept in', she thought as she pulled from the parking lot. Nice enough her lawyer had her car brought over as promised.  
  
The traffic was as bad as to be expected, but she used some side streets and was at her place half an hour earlier. Dylan opened her front door and the first thing she noticed that their was a reason for not seeing any lights in the windows of the building she lived in. The light was out. Since normally it took an hour or two for the caretaker to set things straight, she went up the stairs in the dark.  
  
With all the blends closed her apartment seemed a bit scary.   
  
"Wait a moment I did not closed those blends", she mumbled to herself as she dropped her hand bag on the sofa.   
  
"Anthony?", she said. Then from the kitchen door she heard a match being lit. It was the assassin. He stood there, pale as ever, lighting his cigarette and looking at her. Now he was there and she had no idea what to say. But she felt uncomfortable being in the dark. "Light will be out for a while - mind if I look for some candles?", she asked. Dylan saw him nod and carefully she searched through the drawers and cupboards of her apartment with him watching.  
  
But with each moment spent in silence, Dylan felt her uneasiness growing and not just because of the darkness around them. So she turned around and looked at his face that became visible in the dark, whenever he sucked on the cigarette. "I really don't know what is going on - or where to start." She felt a relief as her hands found a package of candles under the tons of other useless stuff in her probably largest drawer.  
  
"You know - at first I was not even sure, if it is really you …", she rose and took the candles over to the living room table. "but it is you, isn't it?", she said. Again he nodded carefully as far as she could make it out. Dylan began to light up the four thick red candles. It was not that much help but now she could see his face and realised that he was as nervous as she was.  
  
"I saw you - the night after the premiere - in the morgue", the angel told him and the memory made her skin crawl. He came closer and sat down at the opposite side of the table. "We all were at your funeral and then you suddenly appeared - I had the impression it was you, but - after Aurelie found me, she went back without my knowledge. After she told me what she had done - I came back and I found the blood and the holes in the wall, then I knew for certain. But I still don't know how this can be possible."  
  
Dylan was seeing that it bothered him as well and as she had finished he fetched his old writing block from his pocket. She sat back on the sofa and watched him write. Then he held it out to her and she placed it on her side in front of the candles and read: ~I was cursed - for my first crime, at least I thing that's it. I did not gave it much thought in the orphanage.~  
  
"You were cursed as a seven year old?", she suddenly said in surprise. His people must have been really terrible and then she remembered what Anna had told her about the end of her father. She was about to hand his notepad back, then recalled having a bigger one next to her phone. "Wait a second." She fetched it and handed this one over to him. "I doubt that the other one would have been enough anyway", she said smiling.  
  
Dylan looked at him and wondered why he kept his distance from her. But after what happened she could not blame him for it. He had started to write something, but then he stopped and did not continued for a few minutes. The angel waited silently, this was not going to be an easy conversation and since he was unlikely to interrupt her, she would be fair and give him all the time he needs.  
  
So she read anxiously what he had written as he handed it back to her: ~They had their reasons for that. I never told this anyone. My father was not of the tribe and they killed him for taking my mother and my mother for betraying them. I made them pay for that.~  
  
The angel had to think of what the Mother Superior had told them, about the fire, she felt that this was how he had made him pay. A cruel deed for a young child, but how cruel must they have been to him that he was capable of doing that. She could not really blame him and she knew from the look of his face that he was afraid that she would. So she placed her hand on his. She lacked the words, but she hoped he would understand what she was trying to bring across.  
  
They just looked at each other for a few moments and then she turned her gaze on the last sentences he had written: ~For that I was cursed. At least I think so - she spoke with the old tongue, I'm not fluent, but I'm sure it meant, that I shall be the last to die.~  
  
"The last of what - aren't they all dead?", Dylan asked her eyes meeting his once more, but Anthony just shook his head.  
  
"Would you do me a favour?", the angel suddenly asked remembering what she wanted to ask him. Before she could clear her personal affairs, she needed to finish this job, and since he was connected to it, he was the place to start. "Please don't kill anyone - not even to help me." There was this doubtful look and she added: "At least not until there is definitely no other way, please, there are other ways."  
  
This time she got a nod and with relief she continued: "So do you know - " she stopped herself and decided on a more direct approach. "I assume you killed Dr. Sattler in Order to prevent anymore killers been sent our way."  
  
She felt that he searched her face for approval or disapproval, before he nodded. Then he signalled for the pad and wrote fast: ~There is one still at work.~  
  
Dylan sighed: "Are you sure?" It was what she had feared.  
  
~You saw his work - he killed my contact - after I woke up I found her at my door~, he wrote having this sad look on his face.  
  
"Oh my good", she said. This one was worse a real butcher, she wondered if this was the guy that killed Aurelie's husband. Which gave her the idea to tell Anthony about the black woman. "We think Aurelie has this plan of killing all members of your association until she finds the one of you that killed her husband. We fear that she might be the one leaking out the information to Dr. Sattler."  
  
~Well, one has to admire her precision, but I doubt that she is the informant, before I killed her, I heard another woman informing her about your imprisonment and that a man named Robert Norman had come down to aid in the protection of the target. The woman that came out was a Caucasian.~  
  
That was unsettling news and she decided that she better called the office, she had promised to do so anyway. "I need to inform the other", she got up, "but I want you to know, that that was not all I wanted to talk about. It is just something I have to clear, before I can even think about taking care of my life. I was really glad to get your message."  
  
Dylan was startled as Anthony suddenly jumped up writing on her pad and closed in on her. In big letters he had written: ~What message?~  
  
"The one from my cell where you told me to meet you here", she looked at her watch, "In exactly one minutes. But you have been here earlier", her voice went down, as she realised that he knew nothing about that. Anthony did not waste anytime, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her with him in the direction of the door. "You think I got the message from your replacement?", she said, but naturally there was not reply. "But you had my phone!"   
  
Realising that it was no use she hurried with him down the stairs, obviously he expected some company, he wished to avoid, but then suddenly as they descended four stairs the pushed her down and dropped himself on top of her. Then the building trembled under a gigantic explosion. 


	19. The big bad killer

A/N: So here is the next chapter - thx for all the reviews so far - I hope I can update sooner, now that I have my PC back.  
  
Chapter 19: The big bad killer  
  
For a moment Dylan thought they were going to die. The sound of breaking glass and of falling stones was all around her, she started to cough from the dust that was now all around her, but then it was over. At least for a second, then new noises from her neighbours screaming in panic came up.  
  
Yet not a single word or noise from Anthony. The angel just felt him rising and as she looked up he already got hold of her arm and pulled her up. She made it easy for him as he rushed with her out of the building. In fact she hold on tightly to him. Despite her being involved in many explosions, it never had been such a close call. Alone the view from the outside at what was left from her apartment made her feel glad that he was so steady in all this chaos.  
  
Her entire floor was gone, her apartment looked pretty much like Dana Barret's in Ghostbusters. Fire was leaking from it two the two floors upstairs, but there was not much they could do and the angel realised that the killer might not only have tried to kill her, but sent her away from the agency. "I need to call the agency and Natalie - as fast as possible", explained and pulled him with her over the street.  
  
Dylan entered the grocery store, where she often made her late-night food search. The owner was a black man in his forties, named Ruben that did not even noticed his customers, for he was staring outside toward the burning building. Only as they came closer he noticed her: "Dylan, that was your apartment, wasn't it?"  
  
"Ruben, I need to use your phone", she just said and also being surprised he nodded and pointed to the back entrance. The angel rushed through the curtain. "Just don't make it a long distance call", he told her, before he for the first time noticed the Creepy Thin Man. Now he was not sure, whether the apartments on fire or this strange fellow were worth observing. He had occasionally seen the angel with unusual guys, but that was a new top for her. Also he might have reconsidered had he ever met the Chad.  
  
Both men heard the angel cursing in a most inappropriate way for someone with her nick. Dylan just could not help it, all two phone lines to the agency were blocked. Dialling with haste Natalie's cell phone number, she felt a relief as it rang. Then the line was cut before the other angel had a chance to answer. Screaming in frustration Dylan slammed the receiver on the hook. "No", she screamed and collecting herself she suddenly felt Anthony's hand on her shoulder.  
  
He handed her a note he had written on the edge of a newspaper. ~He is there isn't he?~  
  
"I guess he is at the Agency, the lines are down, but Nat is not supposed to be there and her phone went dead as I called. I don't know where to start. I need to get to the agency, but what if something happened to Natalie as well - elsewhere."  
  
Anthony scribbled on another place of emtpy space: ~Then you should go after her - I take care of him.~  
  
"No, the others won't trust you, and you are not familiar with the building", she said. He looked at her in a way that made it clear that he was not going to let her go there. "Look, I know that he is dangerous, but he thinks I'm dead and I might anyway be too late. Natalie is not going to attack you - but the Norman's might or even Bosley. Please we don't have much time to argue."  
  
Dylan wanted to check on Natalie, but somehow she was afraid that Anthony's appearance might add more tension to an already dangerous situation. The killer probably already tried to force his way into the building surprising the others. To her relief Anthony gave in: ~Where is she?~  
  
She took the pen and wrote down Sabine Dawson's address. "We better hurry", she said turned, then she rushed back and kissed a completely surprised Anthony. Her hands closed around his neck and she felt him embracing her. Then she tore away and headed for her car, with him following her a few steps behind. Left was Ruben with many questions, but soon he wrote down newspaper. More than once Dylan paid later, because she had left her purse upstairs.  
  
Dylan smiled opening her car door in Anthony's direction, who had reached his car. The angel felt so much gratitude, she never expected him to help so willingly. He even accepted her judgement of the situation. He looked still worried as he turned for a last look at her direction, but then he nodded softly towards her and got in his Venturi. Dylan did the same with her vehicle and they pulled out from their parking space as if the Devil himself was after them.  
  
They speed off in different directions. Dylan did not cared about the speed limit violation, no police car would stop her until she reached the agency. Actually she was using smaller streets, driving recklessly around other cars, but then she had to make up for at least three minutes. The whole time she was thinking what if the killer had already struck, what if the found the others dead, what if Natalie had not left them.  
  
She stopped right in front of the building. The front door was closed and the angel unlocked it carefully with her key. Then entrance hall was dark only a few lights from the outside shined through the glass part of the roof. She saw dim light in the next room. Listening carefully for an intruder she approached the door. She gasped in terror as she suddenly recognised the bullet holes in the wall. Shots had been fired, that was certain.  
  
Outside a bunch of police cars finally arrived. Dylan used the tumult to sneak down the corridor. The door to the cellar was open and from the directions she realised that the killer must have come from the parking lot, through the office. That meant the other must have head for the front door and then went down in the cellar. Fleeing through the emergency tunnel.  
  
The angel had the feeling that the killer was familiar with that detail. Had not Charlie said the plans had been accessed? She found the entrance wide open. How far where they away she had no clue, but after closing it from the inside she ran as fast as her feet could carry her. Luckily she still wore the comfortable shoes. She shrugged as she heard shots fired in distance echoing through the dark corridor.  
  
Strangely enough they came in a very slow, constant rhythm. It sounded not very far. For the first time she stopped and looked down. Also the light was bad she saw now the bloody sprinkles on the floor. Also hoping it came from the killer, she did not felt that optimistic. She heard a woman yelling and started to ran again. Only as she reached the end she became slower. There was nothing to take cover and if the killer was armed and saw her, she was doomed.  
  
Stealthy she came closer to the bend in the passage that was followed by the dead-end - where a ladder at the wall lead again to the surface. Both parties had climbed up, for she found the spot empty and the lid opened. Then again shots - obviously the killer was the only one armed or else he never had been able to leave the tunnel. She did not waste time climbing up. A powerful jump and her hands grabbed the edge from the hole above her.  
  
The angel pulled herself up so she could look above ground. The little park was a this late hour abandoned. A new round of shots emerged south of her and she realised that they were running towards the small alley south of the children's playground. Swiftly she pulled herself out of the tunnel and followed. Then she saw the killer. At least she figured that it was him. An almost sumo-like shape of a fat man, that was not especially fast, but obviously quite determined.  
  
He fired at figures that head into an alley ducking behind a trash can. Then suddenly he turned and fired at her. She dodged the three bullets, jumping at the nearest tree bench and flying throwing the air as she did a spin. Growling the killer reloaded his gun, but was distracted from his target as the figures fled from behind the trash can. It was Robert Norman with Dr. Curshner, who was limping.  
  
Using that moment of hesitation, the angel lunged at the killer kicking against the arm with the gun. He conveniently had turned towards her as she approached and the deadly firearm went off flying. But soon Dylan discovered that he was even without very dangerous. Instead of landing graciously on both feet, she stumbled and fell on the asphalt. A powerful fist hit had knocked her off balance and then his whole weight fell on her lower half.  
  
But not even Batman would have had enough strength to pull himself free from such masses. After a few seconds of trying he grabbed her head and pulled it up, trying to slam it on the concrete. Dylan was too agile for him, she turned halfway round and her elbow still had enough smash in it to knock his hand of her. A second attempt of the killer was brought to an end by Robert approaching and kicking him directly in the face.   
  
Howling in pain he actually rolled enough off, to allow Dylan to move aside. Robert pulled her up and both faced the killer coming up with a bloody nose. For the first time Dylan had the feeling that she knew this guy from somewhere. "Now I am going to kill you all", he said. The angel looked back to see if Anna was still running and realised that she was lying on the pavement. "Robert, take her out of here, I am going to stop him - somehow", the red head ordered.  
  
"No I won't risk your neck, together we have a chance", Robert said and attacked the killer with a karate kick. Seeing how easily the killer blocked this off, the angel doubted that they had a chance, she and the other angels possibly or she and Anthony maybe. Alone his shape made most fighting techniques obsolete and he seemed to knew quite a few that worked pretty good on them.  
  
Dylan tried to kick him off balance, but he stood like a rock and Robert was just recovering and rising up. The angel did not wait for him to join in, she tried to find a weak a spot and got two real nasty kicks in her ribs. 'So much for being careful', she thought, slightly groaning from the immense pain.  
  
Robert lunged at him, but waited for her too join in, before he got closer. Together then knocked him off balance and he rolled to the ground. Quickly enough he kicked back with a power none of them had expected and so all three of them lay on the ground. Only that the two were more agile and jumped very elegantly up. Mr. Norman tried to bend his arm so he could cuff him, but he did not found the right ankle and before Dylan could interfere the killer got free.  
  
Very fast the security chief was buried half in length under his adversary and the uncovered ribcage was violently beaten a few times from the killer's elbow. The angel kicked the killer straight in the chins, wishing she had high-heels on, but it was already to late. Both man screamed in pain. Robert clearly had suffered a few broken ribs and the killer was now very angry at her.  
  
Dylan did not cared that much, she avoided a second kick to the ground by jumping back. Also his face was still in pain he wrestled up and followed her. In the distance she heard a car rushing closer. She could not leave the spot or Robert might be overrun and even if the killer let her help Robert it would give him card blanche to go over an finish off Anna. She positioned herself and concentrated, thought again about weak spots and then they attacked each other.  
  
The killer brought up an completely new tactic - at least new in this fight. Catching her feet he did not threw her off, but lifted her up. Using his other hand he grabbed her neck and then Dylan found herself from being upside down high above his head. His grip wandered around and tightened over her throat and as much as she struggled, she just could not get free. Also her air supply was shortened and left her soon without strength to keep on fighting, it left her awake enough to realise that he was carrying her over to the steel fence that surrounded the park halfway.  
  
She tried to struggle free with the last coming strength the rush of panic gave her, as the angel realised he was going to smash her back over the iron bars. Yet it was useless, he was too strong. Alex and Nat would have got her free no time, but she was alone and there was no light bulb to kick, no sheet to conveniently soften her fall. Dylan was in deep trouble.  
  
Then with out a warning she heard two shots fired and blood splattering against her shirt. Both hands became limb and she rolled herself half-conscious over the killers falling body to the ground. Coughing and taking all the air in she needed to get up, she saw Aurelie approaching with a gun in her hand. Turning back to the killer, she realised that the black woman just had fired two shots directly in his head and ripped it apart.  
  
"What are you doing here?", she said carefully massaging her throat, which was going to turn blue for sure. Aurelie kneeled beside her boss and just locked up with an icy voice: "I am doing my job - so where is the doctor?"  
  
The angel just locked down the street, where the doctor still lay on the pavement. Then she locked at Aurelie: "She is not dead -"  
  
Her voice faltered, she did not knew that, she had assumed Anna just had passed out, but what if she had been wrong. Both women rose and rushed over to her. Sirens came closer and Dylan hoped someone had called an ambulance as well. 


	20. He really is an angel

A/N: I bored the title from the Mother Superior - I so love that scene, especially how Dylan looks, when she says that:  
  
Chapter 20: And he really is an angel …  
  
Killing the woman who had started this whole mess had been so easy, but he was still worried for he knew there was already a replacement out there. Finally long after the police had raided his apartment, he went back. It was dark and no streetlights that actually worked near his old place. It was like a never ending series of losses that came over him. His inner rest, his way of life, the Mother Superior, obviously all his chances with the angel, then his poor murdered contact and the loss of his apartment, where he had spend most of his life outside the orphanage.  
  
He did not went inside - he only went up to look whether is notepad was still there, he remembered that the angel had it there, but he had forget to take it with him, after he had been shot and reawakened. He wanted to read what he had told her, thinking what she had said, maybe finding the right train of thoughts to calm her fury down. But it was not there anymore, only a few sheets of paper lay there.  
  
'Anthony, I am sorry, I know now you had nothing to do with Alex accident - please contact me, tell me where to go or come to my place, but we need to sort his out.'  
  
Something in-between had been crossed out completely, but even though the message, filled him with new hope. All he had to do now was keeping her safe from the killer. Which would be very difficult task. He only knew one other replacement from his organisation and he had killed him himself long ago. How was he to find him, before he killed the doctor or was able to harm the other angel. He doubted that he would go after the angel in the hospital, but the idea also struck him.  
  
Since he could not be everywhere he drove to the agency, where he hid between other parking cars and watched the building for a while. It was a beautiful place, but also very light and full of full scale windows - he saw with the eye of an expert that it was all top standard security glass. This building was much stronger that the old one before, but then it was a building for a new time and not a relict from the cold war put to good use.  
  
He had no idea how many persons where inside and he doubted that the killer would get inside without causing the alarm to go off. He probably needed some on the inside. Therefore he decided to go checking on the other Angel. Her car was at her home and all seemed quite calm. Except for a few midnight joggers on the beach nobody was around and he decided to rest a bit. Tomorrow he could follow the investigation of his newest murder and this might lure his colleague out.  
  
But the next day developed quite differently. He followed Natalie - the blonde angel - back to the hotel and then he had to watch how she talked to the other blond with the perky nose, that had been talking to Dr. Sattler shortly before he had finished her off. He had the feeling they knew each other, but he could not make out her lips or get close enough to listen. Then a police car came to close to his parking space and he gently pulled out.  
  
Luckily the officers were not alarmed, but as he returned from a different street to the scene, the blonde woman had departed from the angel and was nowhere to be seen. So he tailed her. At least that way he got a chance to see Dylan, but the red headed angel seemed never be alone. In the hospital, in the internet-café and then they already left for the agency. Waiting some time in front of it, he got the idea that he might catch her at the apartment.  
  
She had seemed rather uncomfortable in the clothes she had worn since he rescued from O'Grady and he hoped that she might stopped by her place to change. Then he could warn her, that they better stayed with the Doctor inside no matter what happened. The killer might try to set up a fire outside, but it would hardly be a danger to anyone inside not with that kind of security. This Charles Townsend was for sure very concerned about his employees - and rather ruthless to anyone who betrayed him. At least judging from what Knox had told him about his father.  
  
He often had wondered why Dylan lived in an area like this, while the others resided at more expensive spots all over the city. He had seen the Asian Angels place and the residence near the beach was quite exclusive also. His angel had an apartment even smaller than his, but more colourful and less tidy. He picked up a blue something from the couch and realised holding it up that it was a bra of hers. Slightly embarrassed he dropped it and put a pillow from the ground on top of it.  
  
Also he had been close to her several times, kissed her and carried her - touching her underwear made him feel like violating a forbidden territory. He had read about guys stealing underwear from their objects of desire, but to him this was truly perverse. Maybe some thought the same about his habit, but hair was open - to see for everyone and not so close to the more intimate zones of a woman.  
  
Being here he knew why he had been afraid to come here before. This place was so alien and yet everything here part of who his angel was. The living room had several posters - mostly of movies he had heard of but no real clue what it really was. It must be important to her - or why else should she hang them up. The first was about a woman in shorts with guns who stood with her back to the camera and had a strange glare back to the observer. Over the logo TOMB RAIDER was a signature: "For Dylan, a real action star, from Angie."  
  
A card was pinned next to it. A birthday greeting from this movie guy, the Asian Angel dated, obviously he had given the angel this one.  
  
He was about to examine the next poster as he saw Dylan's car pulling by down the street. Quickly he closed the blends, he did not wanted her to notice his presence immediately. Old habits seemed to die hard, for he had no reason to believe she would turn and run, if she noticed earlier.  
  
And she did not, he realised, actually she was not that surprised about his presence. She was open this time and he felt it much easier to explain himself that last time. Yet being so close to her was difficult. He wanted to get close to her, but not if she did not want him to and he had not idea how to figure that out without upsetting her again. So he kept his distance and the more he could explain her without seeing that painful disregard she had the last time in her eyes, the more comfortable he felt.  
  
That she wanted him to stop killing was not that surprising, but he could not give that promise to her. He would always kill for her without a second thought. She seemed to know that too and with the second option he was willing to give in. He was anyway aware that he could not go on like before if he wanted her to accept him. There was so much he wanted, some of it so bold that he could not bring himself to thing about it.  
  
He wanted to stay with her or wanted he her to stay with him? Anyway he saw it he felt, that it was of no importance as long he could hold her, hold her with her wanting it truly. Before he always felt that there was part of her, that was drawn to him, but in the cold light of the day, her mind and soul would always keep away from him. In that moment he made nodded his agreement to her request, he realised that he was willing to keep it that way, if only she would have him in her life. If that was to happen he knew he could leave everything else behind, but he knew the darkness in him too well to actually believe that this was going to happen.  
  
Nevertheless he could hope and rejoice this moment. She looked so lovely in the candlelight. He had thought her too be beautiful before, whenever he thought of her, he remembered part of her that struck him to be special. Her fighting skills in the alley, then the fragrance of her hair, the beauty she radiated despite the peril she had been in at Knox's place, even in that grotesque outfit at the coal bowl was her smile the most striking asset of her. Maybe one day he could tell her that, it seemed not right to write it down.  
  
Instead he explained her over the killer and what he had seen. She was already on her way to the phone while he was writing down what else he knew about the case, as she suddenly mentioned something about a message. Inquiring further he realised that his replacement must have been behind this. He had put her cell phone in his apartment and this is where he must have got it. Was he here, most unlikely he had realised him. Maybe the lights were out for a special reason or a special time.   
  
He grabbed her and pulled her out of the apartment down the stairs. His feeling had not betrayed him. Multitalented as most of his colleagues were - the trap had been a pre-timed bomb. Just in time he had got her out and managed to shield her against the explosion. Being far enough away to remain unharmed - the after effects like falling pieces of the construction were still an eminent danger.  
  
Even he was shocked by the extent of the destruction. It was not a precise bomb - the killer had willingly sacrificed anyone else on the next floors and the next neighbour. All that at a time where most people came home from work. Considering that he was in the same organisation he was even more uncomfortable with his way of life than before. He looked at Dylan who was still holding his arm staring at her former home.  
  
If there was one thing about the angels he had difficulties with it was their temper. Suddenly she told him that she had to call the others and pulled him right with her over the street into a small store. The black guy looked interested at the fire at least at first, then his attention seemed to wander to him. Normally he would have left, but hanging on the phone he saw that something was not quite right and he had good idea what it was.  
  
He grabbed a paper and approached Dylan. She confirmed his fears and added a new problem. He offered her to take care of the killer, but he could not deny the logic her argument that her associates - who ever they are - could be a source of unwelcome complications. It would be too bad if he accidentally killed someone in self-defence instead of ending this scenario. More than anything he wanted to show her that he would do anything for her. So know that meant to trust her - also he feared that he might leave her needless on her own. After all the blonde could take care of her self, but no more or less than his angel could.  
  
He agreed and let her write down the address for him. He truly hoped that Natalie was not attacking him. He recalled that she was pregnant. He saw Dylan rushing away pressing that they need to hurry and then out of the blue, she kissed him. It went so far, that he was at first paralysed like a tin soldier, before her laid his arms around her. Almost too short to memorise he was left with a confusion and an even stronger longing for her warmth.  
  
Like she said they had too hurry, the faster he checked out the address and Natalie, the sooner he could go back to her side. So he went quickly to his Venturi. Seeing her ready to enter her car his worries came up anew. This killer was more like a madmen and he was afraid to find Dylan like he found his contact, but she had seen this as well and he trusted her to be careful. Nodding towards her as she faced him, he got in his car and then he went off.  
  
He was a bit more careful on the speed limit, but then he did not want to have to kill a police officers that stopped him. Only as he saw smoke lighting from the street where the address lead him, he stepped on the gas and hit the brakes hard. It was an apartment building, but with bigger, more expensive flats - nonetheless it burned just as well. The whole flat on the left side was burning from all windows on the front.  
  
People stood in front of it - some whimpered about their homes in danger and the fire squad being late, he had not time to listen. Without hesitation he jumped through the first window. He landed in the living room, - where all curtains had gone up in smoke, the thick air made him cough. The carpet swelled already and only the quality of the furniture had kept the fire from spreading to fast. Outside the people screamed, but that was not his problem.  
  
Since nobody was here, he rushed inside the kitchen, wish was also empty, but he grabbed a towel and water. Thus shielded against the smoke he quickly checked the other rooms. He cursed himself that he had not checked the closed door first, for in the guest room, lay the blonde angel tied to the bed surrounded by fire. Quickly he dropped the towel on her nose and mouth, also being unconscious, the angel was coughing suppressed. Quickly he cut off the rope that kept her tied on the bed, rolled her inside the blanket and jumped out of the burning window.   
  
He brought the angel to the front lawn. With the fresh air the rest of the house was now quickly catching fire, but he doubt that anyone else was inside. The people surrounded them and wondered who she was and why there was rope tied around her wrists and ankles. Then another men pushed himself through announcing that he was a doctor and took care of Natalie.   
  
The silent assassin was confused, was this also the work of the killer? Had he taken care of Dylan that way and in the meantime prepared this scenario for the other one. It seemed not likely - also being quite over-destructive, he could not believe that having the opportunity to kill her, he left her behind alive even in a burning house. His thoughts were interrupted by the doctor yelling: "Damn it, this woman needs air, where are the fire trucks? And you - fellow - how did you knew she was there - what kinky games did you play in Miss Dawson's flat?"  
  
Backing off he shrugged his shoulders. He needed to get away fast, but then just in time, the trucks finally came and to everyone's surprise the trucks were from a entirely different station from the other side of town. With the main attention now on the firemen and their attempt to stop the fire from spreading - for there was nothing to be done for the house itself, he decided to stay. Concentrated oxygen was given to the blond angel and the doctor said she needed to be taken to the hospital.  
  
An ambulance unloaded a stretcher and they put the angel on it. He just wanted to listen, where they would bring the girl, as she suddenly blinked at him and removed the oxygen mask coughing softly something that sounded like Anthony. He had not expected that, but he stepped closer. The para-medic was pressing the mask back on but as he was close enough she removed it.   
  
"Dawson has Jason", she pressed out between her lips, then she closed her eyes and coughed more.  
  
"That's enough", the medic said and put it back on resting his hand on it, to make sure this time it stayed there. "Men, are you alright?", asked the doctor, locking at his cheek. For the first time he realised the injury he had taken. Also his lungs burned a bit, he was not in immediate need of medical assistance. He shook his head, but then he wrote something down. Maybe it was better to inform them that this woman was pregnant. While the medic was wondering about how he knew this, he departed and ran to his car. Before anyone could stop him he rushed away - towards the agency. 


	21. First steps

Chapter 21: First steps  
  
Dylan watched Aurelie feeling the doctor's pulse. A relief sigh came from the black woman: "It's weak, but there."  
  
The angel rose and waved at the ambulance. From what she could see, Mr. Norman was also still down and Anna's left leg was covered with wounds and bleeding. She looked as pale as on the day they met her. The ambulance rushed in and a team jumped out towards them and another men ran towards Robert and the dead killer.  
  
Eyeing each other carefully the angel and the bodyguard stepped away to gave the paramedics room to take care of their patient. As they had backed off looking only away for a brief second, to be sure both their friends were in good hands, Dylan suddenly said: "So you got want you wanted! Are you satisfied."  
  
"What I wanted?", Aurelie scoffed. "What do you know about me?"  
  
"I know that you wanted your revenge on him - not that I am going to complain that you saved me..", Dylan felt a bit angry and she had completely forgotten what Anthony had told her about Dr. Sattler's informant. After all no matter her reasons, Aurelie had shot him in cold blood.  
  
"After him? First I am not that lucky and twice - what the hell do you blame me for your incompetence? You can't even take care of your own problems, mix yourself up with one of the most dangerous killers available and then blame me - because I free society of those maniacs. So I shoot fast, but giving them just an inch room, could cost somebody a life. You know what my husband's last words where - Drop that knife! So don't dare to judge me, I don't take chances!"  
  
Her voice has raised and for a moment the whole crew around them stared at them. Aurelie was breathing angrily and her eyes sparkled with fury. Dylan listened and realised that she had nothing to do with the league, almost she apologised, but then the black woman spoke again. "See that she is alright, I see to Bob."  
  
Then she walked away and Dylan went off with Anna to the hospital. A second ambulance for Robert had already arrived. It was the same hospital Alex lay in. The doctors told her that Anna would be alright, that she just lost a lot of blood. Sitting in front of the ER, she suddenly saw Bosley coming down the hall. "Eh, girl - problem solved?", he asked.  
  
"How do you know I was here?", she asked in surprise.  
  
"Charlie called me - said you and our client were down here", he said.   
  
The second ambulance arrived and brought Robert and Aurelie with them. She stopped and watched them moving her boss into a ready room. "He has a couple of broken ribs", she said. "Painful, but not deadly."  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that - how is the doc?", Bosley wanted to know.   
  
"They taking care of the wounds and giving her an infusion", Dylan told them.  
  
"I guess it could have been worse", Aurelie admitted. "So what are we doing know?"  
  
"Charlie informed the CIA, they will be here soon. He said there are very eager to hear what she has to say", he raised a big envelope he hold in his hand. "Here that came for you."  
  
The letter was addressed to Bosley, with the order to hand it to her. Not a single hint where it came from. She opened it and inside was a new cell phone, a card with her new number and a short message from Charlie. "Damn it", she said. "Has anyone heard from Natalie?"  
  
"No, she went to Sabine's home - a short while after you left", said Bosley. "Can somebody tell me what happened? Why are you so dirty? Did you meet him?"  
  
Dylan looked at her reflection in the nearest glass door. In that hurry, she had not paid any attention to her appearance, and she looked really horrible. The smoke particles had made her cloth and face dirty and running after the killer had brought it down in black sweat. She did not even wanted to see herself in a real mirror.   
  
"Ok, I also like to hear how Aurelie found us, but in the car, this is not the right place."  
  
"I agree", said Aurelie and then they waited in silence for the CIA to arrive.  
  
Not too happy they sat twenty minutes later inside Bosley's car. Anna was better and now protected by a couple of agents. One case seemed solved, but there were still two missing person's to find.  
  
"Ok, here's my side of the story", Dylan began. "First - the guy you shot - he is not dead, and please don't shoot when you see him again, he is trying to help us."  
  
Aurelie laughed: "What kind of dope did you smoke?"  
  
"Look, believe me, I buried him myself once, but he does come back, I really don't care if you believe me or not, but if you even look at him wrong, you can see first hand what I do when I am upset!"  
  
"Girls would you keep it down - we're on the same side."  
  
"We'll see", Aurelie said and crossed her arms looking out of the windshield.  
  
"Ok, he was already at my apartment, we sort of made a deal, that he stopped killing and confirmed that there was already another killer. Alright he also did Dr. Sattler, but - I am not going to blame him for that." And she really meant it that way, not after all Dr. Sattler had caused. "Anyway just in time, we found out that he did not send the message from my old phone and the moment we were down on the stairs - my whole apartment exploded above us."  
  
"And you are really alright?", Bosley said worried.   
  
"Yeah sure, I have seen worse", she replied trying to stop their Bosley from worrying. She saw Aurelie's suspicious looks in the rear mirror. Yet she continued: "I figured that he might use this to strike at the agency and so I called - the lines were down and then I called Natalie and somebody turned her phone off as it rang."  
  
"Shit, you think she is in trouble?", now Jimmy was really worried.  
  
"Maybe - I send Anthony to Sabine's address and drove to the Agency. Following the killer's trace - I still can't believe he got inside."  
  
"Don't look at me, I closed the door behind me."  
  
"Well - you can find out how it happened. I take my car from there - and look after Natalie, but maybe Aurelie can enlighten us, how she found us."  
  
"That's easy - after I heard that the house plans were breached - I asked Robert to get them for me - realising that you went through the tunnel - I borrowed a car went straight to the end of it, where I saved your little white butt from getting split in half."  
  
Dylan sighed. Great, she was the bad girl - running after a killer and Misses Trigger-happy was boasting about her taking another killer out. Bosley drove on the parking lot and suddenly stepped on the brakes. Looking between the two of them - she saw Anthony leaning against his car smoking and waiting for them. Aurelie looked actually a bit paler and Dylan padded her on the shoulder. "Best you stay - just a little longer in the car."  
  
He watched them carefully, seeing the black girl with the itchy trigger finger, he was ready to take cover at the first move she made, but it was his angel that got out from the back seat and walked over to him. He threw his cigarette on the ground and stepped on it.  
  
"Natalie?", the red head asked and coming closer she saw the wound on his face. "Are you alright?"  
  
He just nodded and handed her a pre-written note, but Dylan just reached out and touched his cheek. The angel was careful that she did not came into contact with the burned flesh, but still he trembled. He realised that she noticed, but he could not help it. At first he had not been sure what she was doing, but the sensation of her soft fingertips running with so much tenderness over his face, was something so wonderful that he had difficulties to bear it at the moment. It woke his desire to kiss her and close his arms around her, but his instincts told him that he better not stop having at least one eye on the car.   
  
Thinking that he felt uncomfortable under her touch, Dylan let go and unfolded the message. ~Natalie is alive. She got fume poisoning and was brought to St. Anne's Hospital. Obviously she discovered that this Dawson woman was behind the kidnapping and she tried to get rid of her.~  
  
Dylan got a vague idea how he got burned, she was just about to lead him into the house to get some ointment for his burn, as the car doors opened and Aurelie and Bosley got out. Dylan positioned herself in front of her assassin. He immediately became very tense. The black girl had the gun in her hand, also it was still pointed at the ground, it was no reason not to be careful.  
  
"Just stay cool, Aurelie", Dylan said. "He is not going to shoot you, if you don't shoot him."  
  
She looked around and saw him nodding once his eyes fixed on Aurelie. Dylan was not risking that he would be killed and not came back. Not to mention that she did not wanted to have to see his dead body again. "Let's get inside, shall we", she said and hooked herself under and went on with Anthony. The angel felt how tense he was and she could not blame him. Obviously Aurelie had decided to follow them. Looking behind her, she saw that the woman had holstered her gun.  
  
Relieved they went into the office. Dylan was just about to get the ointment as Robert's daughter peered carefully out of the evidence room. "Gee, guys - I am so glad it's you. I did not know", she said and stopped suddenly.  
  
Unaware of his presence she had stepped closer to Anthony and found herself now with his rapier at her throat. Immediately afterwards Aurelie had her gun out once more and aimed at the Thin Man. He was not happy about it, but he hoped that Dylan would understand what he meant by this. That this was the one they were looking for.  
  
"Can't you ever stop that?", cursed Bosley and ducked behind one of the sofas. Carefully he spied over the back at the situation. Dylan firmly stepped between the two of them. She looked at Anthony and a moment she was angry, but then she was smiling. He had not killed the blonde and she knew why he had drawn his weapon. Carolyn must be the woman that had informed Dr. Sattler. He had uncovered their leak.  
  
"What is going on?", she said in panic.  
  
"I tell you what's going on - because of you your father lies with broken rips in the hospital, Dr. Crushner is injured as well because of you. Because of you Dr. Sattler knew that she needed another killer, so the brutal murder of another innocent woman and I don't want to know how many of neighbours are on your sleeve, too!" Thinking about the poor stranger nailed to the door really got her angry.  
  
The blonde just opened her mouth, shocked, then she heard Aurelie: "Damn it, how could you do this to your father?"  
  
It had been so obvious, informing her father had also meant that they informed her. Their visit to black star, the fact that Anthony had helped her with the O'Grady's.   
  
Carolyn's smile became suddenly really nasty: "So he got a little bit hurt, like I care anymore. He always had time for his business, for his friends, for You". She spit the last word out. She did not even paid attention to the fact that Anthony had withdrawn the blade. "I was there all the time, like an old, useful piece of furniture, all the time, when you informed him where you were. Too bad the killers had been so incompetent. They should have killed you long ago, but I figured that eventually they thought you were the leak, being the psycho you are."  
  
Aurelie seemed more than shocked by this statement, as if she had hoped that there was a better explanation, that she was forced, but this woman was just freaking mad. "Luckily we discovered the real one", said Dylan. As the black woman stepped closer to Carolyn, the Thin Man went over to his angel. Who finally picked the ointment from the first aid kid and said then loud: "I think I am going to find out more about Miss Dawson and Jason's whereabouts."  
  
"Do that - I think I can handle her", Aurelie said.  
  
Then the red head looked at Anthony and asked with a hopeful tone: "Are you staying with me?" He nodded adding in his thoughts: 'Always if you want to'. He followed her as she walked up the stairs and opened the door to a computer room. He stood close behind her and before he could stop it his hand moved almost on his own.  
  
Dylan was just about to explain that she was not really that much of a hacker, but she was interrupted by a sharp pain behind her ear. "Ouch", she said and rubbed the spot where her hair was missing. "Guess it was too much of a temptation?", she said finally to an Anthony who was standing close behind her sniffling with deep satisfaction.  
  
With his hands covering his mouth, he could not help but smile, as he realised that she was not the least bit angry about him again, snatching some of her hair. Instead she went into the room and rolled up one of the chairs. She signalled to the one next to hers and said: "Let me take care of this."   
  
He carefully put his trophy away and sat next to her. He just would have let the wound heal by itself. It was not that kind of injury that was dangerous, a bit unpleasant, but he had it much worse. Nonetheless he felt grateful that she showed so much interest in his well-being. The last time someone had taken care of him was in the orphanage and it had not nearly meant so much to him.  
  
The angel unscrewed the lid and put some of the ointment on her tips, carefully covering the burn with it. "It really helps, we use it a lot", she told him. Dylan had noticed that this time he had not seemed uncomfortable with her touching him. 'Maybe it were the other', she thought, realising that she had to learn a lot about him. She was sure that he felt something for him and she had accepted that for some strange reason, she was madly in love with him. Yet given their past, that might not be enough. 


	22. Phone calls

A/N: Hi, sorry it took a long time to finish this chapter. I hope it is any good. Thx for all the reviews, but please feel free to tell me what you liked about this story, or what you did not. I really be grateful!  
  
Chapter 22: Phone calls  
  
Indeed the pain vanished almost completely. In fact it felt almost worse as the angel turned smiling to the PC and began her research. Right now she needed him, but what if everything was solved and she had her friends back with her. He could not blame her, after all because of him killing that mobster she was still under charges for conspiracy to murder. Even if he was to change, there was still so much he could not undo and that would always stand between them. But told himself that he should be happy that she seemed to have accepted him as an ally.  
  
"Alex and Nat wrote those programs - In case we need to get certain information", Dylan said after she had started their doorknocker program, which allowed them to access certain areas of the police-computer and other more confidential areas. None of them felt bad about it, Charlie could get all the information anyway, but this way is spared a great deal of time.  
  
Having Anthony here with her - watching her with this strange expression was on the one hand quite unnerving, but on the other it felt good. She wished she had the time to communicate with him at length, there was so much that she needed to tell and find out, but not while Jason was still out there. So she put all her efforts in finding out everything she could about Sabine Dawson: other properties, her past, where she might be right now.  
  
She thought about calling the police, but if Sabine thought that they were after her, she might go into hiding and they never find her or Jason. Dylan figured that right now she might want to move Jason away from town, before anyone figures out she is behind all this. 'Or wasn't she?', Dylan rubbed her forehead. The angel had no clue what actually went on in her head: 'Why would she kidnap Jason?'  
  
Then she looked at Anthony and opened with a quick move pictures of the ME:2 premier. Sabine was in quite a few of them, also she strangely enough kept her distance from Jason or was it Alex? She enlarged one and already expecting a yes as an answer she asked Anthony: "Was this the woman that drove the car hitting Alex?"  
  
He nodded. It was obvious to him that the angel was not quite sure, where to start. She jumped into various databases and very quickly out again. Seeing the look on the woman's face, he got a good idea what the woman's motivation was. He rolled closer to her and went back to full. Then he opened the editor: ~Call your friend in the hospital, I see if I can find where she might have brought this Jason.~  
  
Dylan gave him a strange look - this Jason? Figuring what he does and how he does it, he must seem pretty strange to Anthony, but he was right. Nat might be able to tell her something, if she was well enough to talk. It surprised her a bit that he actually handled the computer so well, but she was glad that he took charge. The angel knew she was too confused and under too much emotional stress right now to make good decisions.  
  
She nodded and rolled a bit off so Anthony had space to handle the research. She used her new cell and got herself connected to the hospital. It took a few minutes, before she had Nat on the other end of the line. "Hi Nat, are you okay?"  
  
"More or less", she said and her voice sounded a bit sour. "The doctor said, if I had breathed any more fumes, it might have endangered the baby." She paused and drank something. "My lungs hurt a bit, so does my throat - did I had a vision or did Anthony rescue me?"  
  
"It was him. You told him Sabine Dawson was behind this?", Dylan tried to get into the topic.   
  
Natalie sighed, which sounded rather strange, and the red headed angel looked worried. "Dylan, the woman is crazy about Jason, her whole bedroom closets are plastered with things from or about Jason. She even had the stuffed ape that was missing from his old apartment."  
  
Coughing she stopped and had another sip. "Was Jason there?", her friend wondered taking a few steps to the other side of the room.  
  
"No I don't think so, but she caught me from behind, I really had no time to check everything", Natalie rubbed her head being glad that she had not a concussion.   
  
Dylan did not like at all what she heard. "Don't worry, we find Jason", she answered finally. "Look, so much happened. Should we inform Pete? Send someone to keep you company?"  
  
"Thanks I already called Max, he get Pete as soon as he leaves the seminar", Natalie said and added curiously: "What happened?"  
  
"Oh, well we solved the case..", Dylan told her quickly about the explosion, the chase and how everything ended. Nat was quite shocked, but relieved and a bit disappointed that she missed all the action. At the end Dylan gave her the new cell number.  
  
Then she went back the few steps to Anthony who was working with great concentration on the workstation. Of course he had listen to her words, knew that she was worried and a bit nervous, but mainly he focused at his research. Quickly he understood how the program worked and with a few sources on the internet he quickly found traces about Sabine Dawson or more likely Pamela Gravenstein.  
  
She had changed her appearance since then, but it was definitely her. According to her psychological evaluation, she was very labile and had begun to worship Jason since his first appearance as a boy in a TV Series called Airwolf. Also he had no idea what exactly that was, but obvious she was even stationed a couple of times, after her mother was mugged and hospitalised.  
  
He showed it to Dylan as she returned. "Great she is a ticking time bomb and completely nuts!" He eyed her sceptical. "Any idea where she might be going?", she asked hoping Anthony also had found an answer to this problem.   
  
It felt good to have her close, that she was trusting and counting on him. A moment he just stared at her pretty face. If he had been used to talking he might have said something like: 'Did anyone told you that you really look like an angel, when you have this worried look on your face.' But he could not and being honest with himself he would have felt kind of stupid making such a trivial remark. Especially because he did not wanted her to be worried.  
  
Then he turned and opened a window and typed. ~I think she went home.~  
  
Dylan looked at the address, the mother lived barely an hour outside the city, she could have brought him there. It said that the hit on the head had left the mother with permanent brain damage. Considering that she would probably not realise if her daughter held someone prisoner there. "How in the world did you find out about her true identity?", the angel was truly impressed.   
  
He was just about to type an explanation, as suddenly Dylan's lips touched his. She had not been able to control her urge, but she was so drawn to him. It was almost scary. A bit taken she stopped herself and mumbled a thank you. Again she had surprised him. He began to like it, even though he hated surprises all his life. Her faces were still close and before Dylan could rise he laid his hand on her neck.  
  
The angel stopped, then he kissed her pulling her gently closer to him. Dylan sat on his lap, her arms wrapped around him. This time there was no one that disturbed them and as the stopped and their lips lost contact, they both breathed a bit faster. 'Just like on the roof', she thought, but this time he did not snatch some hair from her. 'Maybe that is yet to come', she smiled and ran her fingers through his hair.  
  
His hands still rested on her back and neck. Somehow this situation was very unfamiliar. He realised that he began to transpire a bit and that he felt slight aroused. He had that notion quite often in his youth, but he had learned to suppress it. And he learned it far more thorough than his teacher had expected. The truth was he felt uncomfortable and a bit ashamed about his reaction. After all sexuality was not that big a topic in a catholic orphanage.   
  
Both had just eyes for each other and just as Dylan kissed him again, they heard a noise from the door. Aurelie stood in the doorway to the computer lab. They felt a bit like school children caught spying at test results. "What is it?", Dylan finally said angry as the black woman stood there and looked at them like they were committing a crime.  
  
"You got a phone call - 'Angel'", Aurelie said and sounded very nasty as she addressed the red headed woman.   
  
"Charlie?", was her next question.   
  
All Dylan got was a nod, the other woman left the room. Sighing the angel got up, took Anthony's hand and followed her down to the others. Her silent assassin followed her. She just hoped he did not mind her dragging him along. But somehow she felt like not letting him go, for fear he might vanish again.  
  
It was exactly that behaviour that confused him, also like everything else concerning her, seemed to him more enjoyable than frightening at least as long as she was there with him. He remembered his doubts and fears as he had been alone only thinking about her. Passing the clock at the wall he realised that it was a strange time for a call. From the Knox assignment he knew that Charlie mostly called at preset times, and in between only at full hours.  
  
Ignoring the strange look she got from Bosley as she entered the room hand in hand with Anthony, Dylan went towards the sofa. Anthony sat next to her eyeing Aurelie who never missed a chance to look back at him. He was tense and the angel hoped those two would not get into a fight after all. Finally Bosley hit the button and Charlie's voice filled the room: "Hello Angels."  
  
It was strange since she was the only Angel in the room, but as she replied: "Hello Charlie", a second voice greeted him as well. It was Natalie's voice, who still sounded a bit rough. "I hope you don't mind I had you patched in, Natalie, but I wanted you to hear this as well."  
  
"It's ok Charlie, I can't wait for Pete to get me home anyway", the blonde replied. "First I like to thank Dylan and Aurelie for the marvellous job you did. Dr. Crushner is now well protected and with her help they think they can reconstruct what exactly Dr. Sattler wanted to sell and get a hand on it."  
  
Dylan did realise how relieved Charlie sounded. After all the mishaps of the past it had been so important for the agency that this assignment was completed successful. So the angel informed him on how Robert's daughter had given away the information, which meant this was now really closed. She also briefed the rest on what they had found out about Jason's kidnapping and his assistant.  
  
"Well, be careful Dylan", Charlie said then, "but I want to remind you that there are still charges against you and it would not be wise if anyone sees you and Anthony together. Since your apartment is gone I set up a place outside the city were you two can hide, until I got things sorted out."  
  
For the first time during the call she felt Anthony move. Indeed it was strange for the assassin that a man to whom almost assassination he had been involved, was willing to shelter him from the police. But then he did it for her, he gazed at her.   
  
"Don't worry, you can trust Charlie", she told him. He nodded.  
  
Probably realising that the man, whom he knew to be quite the silent type, was in the room Charlie addressed him right in person: "It's the least I can do for the man who saved two of my angels - one actually more than once."  
  
Dylan felt her cheeks becoming a tiny bit redder remembering how much trouble she had caused earlier in this investigation. "Thanks Charlie, but right now we better get going."  
  
"Good Luck, Dylan", Nat said from her end of the line and Charlie wished the same. The red head was sure that Charlie was not completely happy with the idea that she worked together with Anthony, but she knew he would help her. She only wished that they were going to find Jason quickly.  
  
"Thanks, Charlie", she said and got up. The phone conference was over. "Do you really think you can find Jason there or if not that she lead you to him?", Aurelie wanted to know. Dylan looked at her, besides her fast shooting habit - she was actually kind of a nice person. "No worries, we can do this", she replied. The angel realised that it must be quite the shock for the black woman to have an assassin around her whom she shot just yesterday.  
  
So the two of them left Bosley and Aurelie. Also their had been a bit tension, they still left with a load of well wishes and being careful advices. Another thing that was rather strange to him. There was never anyone who wished him good luck or told him to be careful, when he was going on a job. It was natural to be careful and there was no need for good luck, after all he was a professional. He followed Dylan to the parking lot.  
  
"Yours or mine?", she asked him. As an answer he went straight for his car. "Why does that not surprise me?", the angel said smiling and went over to the co-drivers seat. Not realising that Anthony took a deep breath behind her back. It made him feel so whole and content to have her around. Alone he might have been more at rest, but without realising it there had always been this feeling of emptiness. 


End file.
